Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Military

Military

Toys For Tots drop-off boxes ready (11/17/09)
It's not Black Friday yet, but for many people, the Christmas shopping has begun. Retired Marine Col. Ken Crowell asks everyone to remember those children who might not have anyone shopping for them this year. Crowell, who heads up the Toys for Tots campaign, has announced the locations of this year's drop-off boxes...

Visit to World War II casualty's grave kindles emotions for surviving family (11/11/09)
On this day, we honor the veterans who have served in the Armed Forces for our country. There will be speeches and parades, and the living veterans -- such as Chester Polasky and his son David, who lives here in Bedford County -- will be celebrated. Those soldiers and Marines and airmen and sailors who did not return from their missions will be remembered and memorialized -- such as Ed Polasky, Chester's brother and David's uncle...

Veterans Day Parade to roll without bands (11/11/09)
Bedford County's Veterans Day Parade will begin at 6 tonight along the normal parade route. The parade will form at the intersection of Lane Parkway and Cannon Boulevard, proceeding south on Cannon to Holland, east on Holland to the square, north on Main to Madison and then east on Madison to Celebration Drive...

County will help bring guard home for the holidays (11/11/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to contribute $3,100 for bus rental so that local National Guard troops can spend Christmas with their families this year before shipping out to Iraq in 2010. The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of Tennessee National Guard, which includes the guard troops based in Shelbyville and Lewisburg, will begin two months of training at Camp Shelby, Miss., on or about Dec. ...

National Guard holds family day (11/10/09)

Local guard unit readies for deployment (11/05/09)
The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee National Guard, which includes the guard troops based in Shelbyville and Lewisburg, is preparing to return to Camp Shelby, Miss., on the first leg of its scheduled deployment to Iraq in February. The unit just completed three weeks of annual training at Camp Shelby and will return there on or about Dec. 5. to begin mobilization training. The unit will train for two months at Camp Shelby before its scheduled deployment...

Local native manages massive development (10/28/09)
Bedford County native Fred Davis plays a key role in supervising a big project. How big? Ten billion dollars big. No, that wasn't a misprint. Billon, with a "B." Davis, a program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is supervising the project managers constructing what amounts to a new high-rise city at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, about 50 miles south of Seoul, Korea...

Blanchard found guilty of robbery (10/13/09)
A man who was caught on video was found guilty Monday of robbing a Shelbyville convenience market in March. Richard Lowell "Rick" Blanchard II, 46, of North Main Street, will be sentenced on Dec. 21 on the charge of aggravated robbery in connection with a holdup that took place at the Kangaroo store at the Madison Street-Deery Street intersection in the early morning hours of March 8...

Bridge dedication honors long-time commissioner, former POW Helton (10/13/09)
Friends, family, and a host of county commissoners and other elected officials gathered on a bridge on U.S. 231 North near Deason on a wet, windy Monday morning to talk about the late John C. "Junior" Helton. It wasn't an odd place to reminisce at all -- the spot was less than a mile from the home which he loved for more than 50 years, as well as the garage he owned and operated for more than 40 years. ...

Road, bridge naming guidelines proposed (09/18/09)
Who deserves to have a road or bridge named after them? That's the question still being studied by Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, which on Tuesday deferred action on a draft of guidelines for naming roads and bridges...

Johnson tells Patriot Day crowd of close brush with Sept. 11 (09/13/09)
Everyone can remember exactly where they were on Sept. 11, 2001 when they heard news of the attacks on America. Whether you were at home, work, attending school or commuting, it's hard to erase that day from memory. For Scott Johnson, director of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, the day has special meaning. He was supposed to be at the Pentagon for a meeting on that day...

Patriot Day to commemorate Sept. 11 attacks (09/10/09)
Citizens of Bedford County are being invited to join a Patriot Day Observance on the upcoming anniversary of 9/11 at noon Friday on the Shelbyville square. The event will last until 1 p.m. and is being presented by the Exchange Club of Bedford County, Mainstreet Shelbyville and the city's parks and recreation department...

Patriot guard riders honor America's military (08/30/09)
I'm not one to get hot under the collar easily, but I, like everyone else, have my limits. And one thing that I absolutely refuse to tolerate is disrespect for our nation's military. It has always shocked me how people in our own country can sleep at night after they've vocally condemned our military for doing their job, which is protecting the United States of America. These people are the bravest men and women I've had the honor to know and we owe them our very lives...

Patriot Day to commemorate Sept. 11 anniversary (08/19/09)
What were you doing on Sept. 11, 2001? Even though the horrific attack that changed the country was eight years ago, many do not forget, and the community is being invited to join a Patriot Day Observance on the upcoming anniversary. The event will be held Friday, Sept. 11 from noon until 1 p.m. on the Bedford County Courthouse square and is being presented by the Exchange Club of Bedford County, Mainstreet Shelbyville and the city's parks and recreation department...

Local educator says Apollo helped US engineering dominance (07/19/09)
On Monday, the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of man's first steps on the moon, and Billy Hix of Shelbyville will be among those cheering. Hix, a professor of education technologies at Motlow State Community College, is also an educational consultant for NASA, helping to try to show educators better ways to teach science and engineering. He will join other NASA employees on Monday at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center for a celebration of Apollo 11's "one giant step for mankind."...

Local guard troops to be mobilized (07/14/09)
Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., Tennessee's adjutant general, announced Monday that Tennessee's largest National Guard unit, the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, headquartered in Knoxville, has received mobilization orders effective later this year -- but the exact date and location have not been announced. The National Guard troops based in Shelbyville are part of the 278th....

Garden club, VFW team up to beautify post (07/08/09)
A local garden club looking to serve found a perfect outlet in the local chapter of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Post Commander Wayne Cook wanted to spruce up his local post. At the same time, Weed'em & Reap, which was formed last year by Steve Mills, wanted to partake in a community service project...

Wife happy husband made it back from Iraq (06/21/09)
A little more than three years ago, Luke Bowling had to coach his wife through the birth of their baby a half a world away. "I was three months pregnant when he left," Patricia Bowling said. "He came home on a two-week leave when James was 6 days old and he didn't see him again until he was nine months old."...

The gift of time: having Dad home for Father's Day (06/21/09)
For many wives, Father's Day is a chance to thank Dad, oftentimes by giving him a new set of golf clubs, a new shirt, or taking him to dinner at his favorite restaurant. For some wives, though, Father's Day holds a deeper level of importance. It is a day to relish in the fact that Dad is actually here, with them and their children. Material gifts lose their relevance as the gift of time takes precedence...

AEDC work force faces reduction (06/12/09)
President Obama's 2010 budget request includes a $24 million reduction in funding for contractor labor at the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center, according to an AEDC news release. The cuts would take effect Oct. 1, with the start of a new federal fiscal year...

Heroes in the sky: WWII pilots look back (05/24/09)
On the Thursday before Memorial Day, five World War II pilots gathered together to talk, share stories and reminisce about their lives. These men are Bob Bomar, J. Ivan Potts, John Jarrell and Ike Farrar, all of Shelbyville, and John Ross, of Manchester...

World War II vets recount D.C. trip (05/15/09)
A group of World War II veterans who recently participated in a bus tour of Washington, D.C. that included the World War II Memorial, spoke Thursday to the Shelbyville Rotary Club, a primary sponsor of the trip, to talk about what it means to them and to receive the thanks of grateful Rotarians for their service...

Lewisburg man guarded captured Somali pirate (04/29/09)
A Lewisburg man in the U.S. Navy was in the thick of it when the Navy rescued a cargo ship captain from Somali pirates two weeks ago. Jacob Andrew Watkins, 20, a petty officer 3rd Class on the USS Bainbridge, the first Navy ship to reach the scene, guarded a pirate captured during the conflict on the high seas about 300 miles off the Somali coast...

World War II vets head for D.C. (04/17/09)

Stimulus money to pave way for AEDC improvements (03/26/09)
The U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center in Coffee and Franklin counties will receive more than $7.7 million in federal stimulus money for improvements. The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and will be used to inspect bridges, for the repair, improvement, and paving of several roads and parking lots, and upgrades to Wattendorf Highway...

E. coli warning for Woods Reservoir (03/18/09)
Officials at the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center have issued a warning restricting swimming, wading and water skiing on Woods Reservoir. The restriction was issued because of elevated levels of E. coli found in the water. The source of the high levels of E. coli is unknown at this time and has not been linked to a sewage spill in Monteagle...

Abduction text threats are hoaxes, AEDC says (02/27/09)
Area authorities say that cell phone text messages warning of abductions and rape are a hoax. According to Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) spokesman Joel Fortner, on Wednesday "there were erroneous text messages sent to several residents in our vicinity stating that AEDC has issued a security bulletin advising women to be careful of abductions and heinous crimes happening in our local area."...

Sailor makes long journey to help cancer-stricken child (02/02/09)
PACIFIC OCEAN -- Tracking dozens of aircraft, meticulously monitoring radars and organizing the chaotic skies above the flight deck is all in the line of duty for Navy air traffic controllers. The tasks they perform every day in the line of duty could very well be the difference between life and death. But one aircraft controller assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) is taking an even more proactive approach when it comes to saving lives...

Remembering service members at the holidays (12/09/08)
Hard economic times have left almost everyone needing more, and the community has responded with gifts of toys, food and money to families in need. But there's another group that has been overlooked this holiday season and The Blockade Runner's Phillip Smith has decided to do something about it...

Air Force chief visits Shelbyville (11/18/08)
Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, visited Shelbyville Monday night to address the annual Arnold Community Council banquet held at Calsonic Arena. Schwartz is the highest-ranking uniformed member of the Air Force and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which advises the President, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council...

Veterans saluted at special school programs (11/12/08)
Hundreds of children, patriotic caps and all, filled Eakin Primary's gymnasium Tuesday morning to salute veterans and thank them for serving the United States -- providing the freedom we all enjoy today. Those thanks came by poems, songs -- and lots of smiles...

Veterans to parade through Shelbyville tonight (11/11/08)
Although the treaty that officially ended World War I wasn't signed until June 1919, actual fighting stopped seven months earlier, when a ceasefire, or armistice, took effect on Nov. 11, 1918 -- the 11th day of the 11th month -- at 11 a.m. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson declared that Nov. ...

Healing remains as Moving Wall departs (11/04/08)
As the sun set across the Duck River, Gene Williams stood alone in a field and watched as one of his greatest accomplishments rolled away. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall had shipped out. "It was an awesome experience," Williams reflected after the last truck pulled off. "It was a challenge, really, but I enjoyed every minute of it -- even the bad spots."...

Veterans to parade Nov. 11 (11/04/08)
This year's Bedford County Veterans Day Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Nov. 11. The parade is sponsored by the United Veterans Council, a joint venture of the local posts or chapters of the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Veterans of Foreign Wars...

Grateful countians pay respect to Vietnam vets (11/02/08)
Tears were shed by many Saturday as Bedford County honored its Vietnam veterans and their families at the opening ceremony for the Moving Wall memorial. The ceremony took place under clear blue skies at Shelbyville's Riverwalk Park, and offered some closure for those who still suffer emotional wounds more than 30 years after the unpopular conflict ended...

Candlelight vigil honors Vietnam's fallen soldiers (10/31/08)
The only thing missing was a bagpiper's lament from the hillside. As the motorcycles from Rolling Thunder came down the hill to the Moving Wall at Riverwalk Park Thursday night, followed by a procession of cars, the rumble of the vehicles added a solemn air to a solemn occasion...

Battlefield's survival ensured (10/03/08)
Whoever believes history is a dead thing has never traveled the Civil War historic trail in Tennessee. Historical markers, battlefields, and the homes of famous leaders of the conflict are found all over the state, and Bedford County has its share. Many of the battlegrounds and other important sites are threatened, however...

Special T-G section to honor Moving Wall, Vietnam vets (09/10/08)
The Shelbyville & Bedford County History Museum will sponsor the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall from Thursday, Oct. 30, to Monday, Nov. 3, at Riverwalk Park in Shelbyville. To coincide with the event and to honor Bedford County's Vietnam veterans, the Times-Gazette will publish a commomorative Vietnam Veterans Memorial Edition on Tuesday, Oct. 28...

Doak earns Marine medal for public service (09/05/08)
Matt Doak, a captain with Shelbyville Fire Department and a staff sergeant on active duty reserve with the U.S. Marine Corps, was honored Thursday with the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Doak was aware that retired Marine Col. Ken Crowell had nominated him for the award but didn't know he had received it until Thursday morning's ceremony, held at Fire Hall Number One on Lane Parkway...

CBAT loss disappoints area leaders (09/03/08)
The U.S. Air Force has cancelled plans for the Common Battlefield Airmen Training (CBAT) program, which Arnold Air Force Base had been under consideration to host. "I am disappointed that Middle Tennessee will not benefit from the hundreds of jobs this program would have produced," said U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon in an e-mail to the Times-Gazette...

Corker hits Russian attacks (09/03/08)
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, in a conference call with Tennessee reporters, said Russia has needlessly bombed civilian targets in the Republic of Georgia and said the dispute shows how important energy will be to international relations and disputes in the future...

Cross stitchers honor fallen heroes (08/11/08)
Cross stitchers from all over the country have joined together to show their support for United States service men and women by making and delivering handmade memorials to the families of fallen soldiers. "I'm just an average, everyday person who wanted to combine my love for embroidery with a way to do good," said Helen Blanton, a Bedford County volunteer for the American Soldier Memorial and No Soldier Left Behind Memorial projects. "I want to do more of these for the soldiers of Tennessee."...

278th may deploy to Afghanistan in spring (08/10/08)
NASHVILLE -- The commander of the Tennessee National Guard's largest unit said its next deployment could be to Afghanistan, where military leaders have said they want to send more troops. The 278th is based in Knoxville and includes Shelbyville's Company G, Forward Support Company, Regimental Support Squadron...

WWII bomber pilot writes of experiences (07/30/08)
Ivan Potts, of Shelbyville, tells two stories of flying B-29s -- a harrowing flight back to safety following a battle in the South Pacific, and a record-setting non-stop flight from Japan to Chicago -- in a new book, "Flying Flak Alley: Personal Accounts of World War II Bomber Crew Combat."...

Wartrace officials support Moving Wall (06/19/08)
The Town of Wartrace often gives money to worthy causes, from Scouts to the Wartrace Horse show. But the $500 donation made to the Shelbyville exhibit of the Vietnam Moving Wall at Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Mayor and Alderman had special meaning...

Corker visits AEDC, delivers upbeat message (06/10/08)
ARNOLD AFB -- Following a major shake-up at the top levels of the Air Force, area leaders were eager to hear reassuring news from Sen. Bob Corker about the status of the Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) facility, and other concerns. They got it...

Honor those who gave all, Bush urges (05/24/08)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush asked Americans to pay tribute to veterans by pausing on Memorial Day for "a moment of remembrance." Bush had several suggestions for how to honor the sacrifices of those who have fought for the United States -- place a flag at a veteran's grave, go to a battlefield or say a prayer. He said the moment of remembrance would be marked Monday at 3 p.m. local time...

No local guard deployment until late '09 at the earliest (05/23/08)
The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment will likely not be deployed to the Mideast prior to fall of 2009, Tennessee National Guard's adjutant general said in a Wednesday statement. "We are confident that the 278th will not deploy until Fiscal Year 2010," said Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett. Fiscal Year 2010 begins in the fall of 2009...

Old Harris, hospital properties attract interest (05/21/08)
Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray reported to the county commission's courthouse and property committee Tuesday night that there has been some interest from potential bidders for the vacant Harris Middle School and the soon-to-be-vacant Bedford County Medical Center...

Defense Dept. says 278th slated for Iraq (05/20/08)
The Department of Defense announced Monday that the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is again scheduled to deploy to Iraq, possibly as early as next year. The 278th, which includes Shelbyville's Company G, Forward Support Company, Regimental Support Squadron, is included in 14,000 troops the Defense Department says will have a security force mission that will include base defense and route security in Iraq and Kuwait...

Local Guard unit put on alert (05/14/08)
The National Guard unit which includes Shelbyville, the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, has been put on alert. According to Sgt. John Garner of the Shelbyville armory, the alert means that the unit is capable to perform its mission and will give them time to train, check their equipment and prepare in case the unit is called for deployment....

Golczynski bust to be unveiled May 24 (05/12/08)
LEWISBURG -- A bronze bust of Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, who was killed during combat last spring in Al-Aanbar Province, Iraq, is to be unveiled and presented to his family during the Memorial Day weekend and later placed in Marshall County High School...

Guard unit returns to Tullahoma (05/12/08)
TULLAHOMA (AP) -- Seeing the return of nearly 300 Tennessee Army National Guard soldiers home to Tullahoma was the best Mother's Day gift for Karen Williams. At the Tullahoma Armory on Sunday, Williams welcomed home her son, Gary Williams Jr., and the other soldiers in the 1175th Transportation Company, which has spent the last year in Iraq...

Tullahoma guard unit returns (05/07/08)
The Tennessee Army National Guard's 1175th Transportation Company, composed of units from Tullahoma, Brownsville and Jacksboro, is back on U.S. soil this week at Fort Bragg, N.C., after being deployed to Iraq for almost a year. There are at least two Bedford County soldiers in the unit, according to one Times-Gazette reader, although National Guard spokesman Nate Crawford did not have a county-by-county breakdown of the unit's membership...

A big bang in Bedford (04/30/08)
BOOM! That's been the sound coming for the northern part of the county this week, specifically from the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy. With members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) looking on, as well as high school students from Williamson County, instructors from the ATF set off a variety of explosive types to demonstrate their effects...

A big bang at the Fire Academy (04/25/08)
If you think you hear explosions around Bedford County next week, there isn't anything to be worried about. "Post blast training" is to be conducted at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy (TFACA) on Unionville-Deason Road by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) next week for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in preparation for possible deployment...

Remembering those who served (04/15/08)
Bedford County was the home to 12 men who died for their country during the Vietnam War. Leading up to October, the Times-Gazette will pay tribute to the fallen men during the month that each was killed. The Moving Wall - Vietnam War Memorial will come to Shelbyville from Oct. ...

Murfreesboro names bridge for Golczynski (04/02/08)
A new bridge in Murfreesboro has been named in honor of Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, the U.S. Marine who grew up in Lewisburg and was killed in combat a year ago in Iraq, by the city council. "It is a very fitting tribute," says Michael Goodloe, a Murfreesboro businessman and friend of the Golczynski family who attended Thursday's council meeting because the fallen Marine's relatives were out of town...

Sanford honored for support of Guard member (03/28/08)
Sanford Brands' distribution center on Railroad Avenue has been honored by Employee Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for its support of employees while they are away from their full-time jobs in the service of their country. Melissa Barker supervises Sanford's outbound distribution division. On March 24, she was presented with an award for her compassion and support as an employer of a Tennessee Army National Guardsman...

Donations still sought for World War II vets' trip (03/19/08)
Donations are still needed for next month's trip to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. for Bedford County's World War II veterans. According to Robert Daniel, who is heading up the project, March 25 is the cutoff date for veterans to register and donations are still arriving...

Morris Ferry Dock to close Sept. 30 (03/18/08)
U.S. Air Force officials announced Monday that the land lease to operate Morris Ferry Dock on Woods Reservoir has been extended until Sept. 30 but won't be renewed or re-competed after that date. Although the Air Force hasn't made a decision yet about the ultimate disposal of the property, the short-term impact is that there won't be a commercial boat dock there on Oct. ...

CBAT pick delayed until fall (03/12/08)
The decision on locating the Air Force's proposed Common Battlefield Airman Training Facility (CBAT), for which Arnold Air Force Base is in the running, has been delayed until fall, according to Air Force officials. Local officials have also been awaiting the release of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project, but that also has been delayed...

PFC Ben McCullough Jr. (03/07/08)

Photo may be used in documentary (03/03/08)
An image of Christian Golczynski, published here nearly a year ago, may be used in a documentary and music video to illustrate psychological impacts of war on Americans. The photograph, by now-retired Times-Gazette editor Kay Rose, portrays the son of slain Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, who grew up in Lewisburg. Her photo shows an 8-year-old boy receiving the American flag that had been draped across his father's coffin at Wheel Cemetery...

AEDC testing played part in satellite strike (02/26/08)
A single modified tactical Navy Standard Missile-3 was launched from the Navy's USS Lake Erie last Wednesday in an attempt to take down an errant satellite before it entered Earth's atmosphere. According to Wayne Hawkins, Arnold Engineering Development Center plans and programs directorate engineer, the center has been testing numerous variants and upgrades of the missile since its original design in the late 1960s...

Vets gain support for Golczynski bust (02/21/08)
LEWISBURG -- Two Vietnam veterans working in a nonprofit organization to honor U.S. military casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan say they've gained the support of Marshall County's mayor and Lewisburg's city manager for a Memorial Day weekend ceremony in Lewisburg...

Civil War re-enactment planned here (02/16/08)
There will be a thunderous noise heard in middle Tennessee during the second week of June, but it won't be the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Instead, men dressed in the colors of blue and gray will gather during this time in Bedford County to commemorate the 145-year anniversary of the Tullahoma Campaign of the Civil War, which took place along the banks of the Duck River...

CBAT decision moves a step closer (02/09/08)
The decision on the location of CBAT, the Air Force's new Common Battlefield Airmen Training mission, could be drawing nearer with the anticipated release of the final environmental impact statement (EIS), which is expected in a matter of days. According to the Shreveport Times, the office of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu has said that an announcement on the impact statement could be made in "the next two to three days at the latest."...

Another Vietnam casualty remembered (02/05/08)
The Moving Wall - Vietnam War Memorial will come to Shelbyville from Oct. 29 through Nov. 3, and will be set up at Riverwalk Park (behind the Fly Arts Center) for viewing. This moving tribute, a replica of the wall that stands in Washington, D.C., memorializes American service members who died during the Vietnam War. ...

Local native takes command (02/04/08)
USS ESSEX, At Sea -- Capt. Kerry Brent Canady relieved Capt. Brian T. Donegan today as commanding officer of the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious assault ship, USS Essex (LHD 2). The change-of-command ceremony took place in the ship's hangar bay right before the live broadcast of the Super Bowl. It was already Monday at the ship's location...

Corker upbeat about CBAT chances (02/01/08)
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, in a telephone conference call on Wednesday, said he is still confident about Arnold Air Force Base's chance to host Common Battlefield Airmen Training (CBAT). "I really do think we're still in an outstanding position," said Corker...

Slain Marine to be memorialized in bronze (01/31/08)
LEWISBURG -- A bronze bust is to be cast of the late Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, whose mother teaches science at Forrest High School, and she's said she believes the bust should be displayed in Lewisburg where he was raised and joined the Marine Corps...

SCHS grad to command USS Essex (01/26/08)
SASEBO, Japan -- The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) departed Sasebo, Japan, for spring patrol on Thursday. Capt. Brent Canady, a 1980 graduate of Central High School, will take command of the Essex on Feb. 4. The Essex, with a crew of more than 1,100 sailors, will be joined by the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry and amphibious transport dock USS Juneau...

Celebration gives to 'Moving Wall' (01/24/08)
The Moving Wall, the half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to be in Shelbyville from Oct. 30-Nov. 3. It will be open to the public at Riverwalk Park behind the Fly Arts Center, home of the Shelbyville-Bedford County History Museum...

Committee defers action on CDC work (01/23/08)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee deferred action Tuesday night on paying for exterior maintenance costs at the Community Development Center on Eaglette Way. The site is jointly owned by the city and county. CDC failed to budget for or to get advance approval for sealing its parking lot, pressure washing its sidewalks, and mowing its lawn, and is now asking the city and county to cover those costs. The total cost is $7,162, which would be $3,581 each from the city and county...

Marine defends U.S. role in Iraq (01/16/08)
He has lost friends in one part of the world and helped saved lives in another. Now Marine Sgt. Mitchell Farris has returned home to Shelbyville and is getting reacquainted with friends and family while looking toward the next phase of his life. But the young man also expressed frustration with the popular perception of why our soldiers are in Iraq and the lack of public support for the mission...

AEDC benefits area economy (01/12/08)
The U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) had an economic impact of more than $653 million on Middle Tennessee during government fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30. This estimate is an increase of more than $54 million from fiscal year 2006...

Vietnam tribute: Kenneth Bryant Beckman (01/11/08)
The Moving Wall - Vietnam War Memorial will come to Shelbyville from Oct. 29 through Nov. 3, and will be set up at Riverside Park for viewing. This moving tribute, a replica of the wall that stands in Washington, D.C., memorializes American service members who died during the Vietnam War. ...

Copter keeps an eye on drug offenders (12/20/07)
Criminals beware: Local law enforcement has an eye in the sky at its disposal that could be watching you. Members of the Shelbyville Police Department, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department and the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force paid a visit to the Shelbyville Airport Wednesday to take a look at the air support offered for free by the Army and the Tennessee National Guard...

AEDC studies strategic plan (12/20/07)
The management of the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) is undergoing a strategic planning process, addressing issues like how to balance the needs of the Department of Defense (DoD) against the needs of commercial customers...

CBAT enviornmental statement likely in a few weeks (12/17/07)
The final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the U.S. Air Force's Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) project is still under review and could be released within the next few weeks, an Air Force spokesperson said today. The EIS was scheduled to be released on Saturday but, according to Air Force spokesperson Shirley Curry, the review process is taking "longer than anticipated" and could be released in a manner of weeks or even days...

EIS delayed for CBAT project (12/15/07)
The final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the U.S. Air Force's Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) project, which was scheduled to be released on Saturday, has not been, according to a spokesman for Arnold Air Force Base, one of the sites under consideration for the project...

And then there were two: Georgia no longer considered for CBAT (12/11/07)
Arnold Air Force Base in Coffee and Franklin counties now has a better chance of getting the Common Battlefield Airmen Training program, also known as CBAT, according to a Georgia newspaper. The Valdosta Daily Times reported Sunday that Moody Air Force Base, in Valdosta, Ga., is out of the running for the Air Force facility. It had been one of three sites, along with Arnold AFB and Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, La., under consideration to host CBAT...

Red Cross seeks cards for injured service personnel (12/08/07)
America's wounded service members are always grateful for supportive cards and notes----especially during the holiday season. This holiday season, communities across America are invited to mail cards along with personal messages of support to wounded service members at military hospitals around the country, through a partnership between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc...

Corker: Iraq strains U.S. in other areas (12/06/07)
America's efforts to stabilize Afghanistan are plagued with manpower issues due to commitments to Iraq, Sen. Bob Corker said after returning from a eight-day tour of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Corker was part of a U.S. congressional delegation led by Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah, along with Reps. David Dreier and Darrell Issa of California and Joe Wilson of South Carolina...

Stones River ornament on White House tree (12/05/07)
Stones River National Battlefield's ornament is prominently displayed on this year's official White House Christmas Tree. The tree is the centerpiece of elaborate decorations celebrating the theme of "Holiday in the National Parks." "It is an amazing honor for the National Park Service to be selected as the theme for the White House holiday decorations by the President and Mrs. ...

Air Force tests new fuel mixture (11/29/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- Reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil is just one of the goals the Air Force is striving for as it looks toward using a blend of synthetic and petroleum-based fuel for its fleet. With Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne looking on, testing kicked off at Arnold Engineering Development Center with study of how the blend works in a B-1 bomber engine...

F-4 Phantom II display dedicated to fallen pilots (11/28/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- Memories over 40 years old still produced tears for the Secretary of the Air Force Tuesday as he and others dedicated the F-4 Phantom II static display at Arnold Engineering Development Center to two pilots shot down over North Vietnam...

Air Force secretary says CBAT study continues (11/28/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne gave no new information about the possibility of Arnold Air Force Base getting the Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) program during his visit on Tuesday, but said environmental surveys are still being examined...

Simmons nominated for USAF award (11/17/07)
Al Simmons of Shelbyville, deputy director of the 704th Civil Engineer Squadron at Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), has been selected for Air Force Materiel Command's outstanding Civil Engineering Individual Award for the Harry P. Rietman Senior Civilian Manager Award...

Flag placed in jury room (11/12/07)
The jury room at the Bedford County Courthouse has a new historic decoration -- a flag flown during World War II. On Friday, members of Bedford County Bar Association presented a flag flown during that conflict on the USS LCI (G) 458, commanded by Chancellor John D. Templeton, to County Mayor Eugene Ray...

Veterans' education bill backed by Cobb (11/09/07)
Citing the inability of the G.I. Bill to meet the rising costs of a college education, the Tennessee House and Senate Democratic Caucus on Monday introduced the "Helping Heroes Act of 2008," a scholarship funded by lottery proceeds that will provide a maximum of $8,000 in higher education assistance to Tennessee veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan...

Saluting America's bravest (11/08/07)
Matt Doak wears two different, but dangerous hats -- one as a Shelbyville Fire Department captain and the other as a U.S. Marine. Either time he puts on one of the two uniforms, there's a chance he won't be coming back -- whether he fights fires or the nation's enemies...

Vets get special seating for fireworks display (11/07/07)
Those who have served in the armed forces will have a front row seat to Saturday night's fireworks display at H.V. Griffin Park as part of Shelbyville's Veterans' Day events. Bleachers have been set up on the east side of Shelbyville Recreation Center to ensure that vets will get the best view available of the pyrotechnics that were canceled on the Fourth of July due to the fire hazard this past summer...

Wartrace will honor veterans (11/06/07)
A special Veterans Day ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Hollywood Cemetery in Wartrace to honor local veterans from today and the past. Over the past few months, an effort has been made to identify every serviceman and woman buried in Hollywood Cemetery from the Civil War to the present day...

Tracy records 4:47 in Marine Corps Marathon (11/05/07)
State Sen. Jim Tracy recorded a time of 4:47 in the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 28 in Washington. "I definitely wanted to go under five [hours], and I did that," Tracy said this morning. This was the third marathon for the 51-year-old insurance agent from Shelbyville, but his first time to compete in the Marine Corps Marathon...

Donations sought for veterans' trip (11/03/07)
Shelbyville's two Rotary Clubs are joining forces to send World War II veterans who are physically able to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. To do so, $30,000 is needed. Shelbyville's Breakfast Rotary kicked off the effort Friday with a $1,000 donation...

American soldier teaches Romanians skills (10/27/07)
MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania - On a rural, grassy, wind-blown hilltop near the Black Sea, a group of American soldiers stand on soil that over the ages armies and empires fought for. The Greeks, Romans, Turks and Soviets have all paid the price of blood to stand on this land...

Honoring the past (10/26/07)

Veteran's parade planning underway (10/23/07)
The 2007 Veterans Day Parade will be held Saturday, Nov. 10, followed by the fireworks display which had to be postponed on July 4 due to weather. Entries are being solicited for the parade; call Veterans Service Officer Gordon Warren, 685-4838, for more information. ...

Tracy will compete in Marine Corps Marathon (10/02/07)
State Sen. Jim Tracy is running again, and he's heading to Washington. But neither of those things has to do with politics. Yes, Tracy is a Republican from Shelbyville representing Bedford, Moore and parts of Rutherford counties in the State Senate. But the running he's planning on doing in Washington isn't running for office: it's running in the literal sense of the word, as a competitor in the annual Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28...

AEDC honors health and service agencies (09/27/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- When Col. Arthur Huber decided to revive the "Evening At Arnold" program, which invites guests to Arnold Engineering Development Center for a tour and a reception, he decided to start by honoring the health and human services agencies which serve Arnold's region...

POWs honored at annual ceremony (09/22/07)
MURFREESBORO -- While a familiar black flag waved outside, former prisoners of war (POWs) and veterans solemnly gathered Friday to observe Ex-POW/MIA Day. The annual event is held at the Alvin C. York Veterans Administration Medical Center and was sponsored by Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tullahoma....

Guardsman returns, a year later (09/19/07)
In November 2006, the National Guard troops who had left Shelbyville a year earlier as B Battery of the 115th Field Artillery Battalion returned after a year of service in Iraq under a new name, Company G, Forward Support Company, Regimental Support Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment...

National Guard promotions, awards announced (09/11/07)
Company G, Forward Support Company, Regimental Support Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, held promotion and awards ceremonies Saturday at the Tennessee Army National Guard Armory in Shelbyville, followed by a Family Appreciation Day at Never Rest Park...

Wartrace plans veterans' memorial service (09/11/07)
The town of Wartrace is looking for historical help to celebrate both the county's bicentennial and their veterans this November. Plans are in the works for a memorial service, on or near the Veteran's Day holiday, that will identify every serviceman and woman that is buried in Hollywood Cemetery from the Civil War to the present day...

Shofner honored for service (09/10/07)
Comrades and family gathered Saturday in memory of a Shelbyville Marine who escaped a Japanese death camp in World War II and returned to fight again. "He was a true American hero," said master of ceremonies Fred Duffer of the Brig. Gen. Austin C. Shofner Marine Corps League Detachment 1128, which holds the event each summer. "He epitomized a true Marine."...

AEDC seeks Morris Ferry Dock input (08/30/07)
The U.S. Air Force is continuing to explore alternatives for operating Morris Ferry Dock, a fishing camp on Woods Reservoir on the Arnold Air Force Base campus. The Air Force recently extended the deadline for its request for information (RFI) to Sept. 17...

F-15 Eagle dedicated to fallen pilot (08/11/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- "The father is the hero, or he hopes to be -- Jim was my hero," said Art Duricy, the father of Major Jim Duricy, an Air Force test pilot who had an F-15 Eagle static display aircraft dedicated in his memory at Arnold Air Force Base, Aug. 9. "We are very proud of him - he never ceased to amaze me...

Hero McClenney saluted in new book (07/11/07)
Since 2004, Bedford County has known that Marine Pfc Daniel Bradley McClenney was a hero. Now it is time for the rest of the world to know it too. For out of the thousands that have died in this war, one solider from each state is being honored with four pages devoted to their life and final sacrifice in the new book "Faces of Freedom -- Profiles of America's Fallen Heroes" with McClenney representing Tennessee...

(07/11/07)
Since 2004, Bedford County has known that Marine Pfc Daniel Bradley McClenney was a hero. Now it is time for the rest of the world to know it too. For out of the thousands that have died in this war, one solider from each state is being honored with four pages devoted to their life and final sacrifice in the new book "Faces of Freedom -- Profiles of America's Fallen Heroes" with McClenney representing Tennessee...

Flag holds special meaning for WWII vets (07/07/07)
The stars and stripes lined the roads in neighborhoods all across the city this week as America celebrated its 231st birthday. Everywhere you looked you could see the Grand Old Flag waving in the breeze. Some patriotic individual placed an American flag in every yard in my neighborhood, and that small deed certainly brightened the corner of our world...

Flag has special meaning for WWII vets (07/07/07)
The stars and stripes lined the roads in neighborhoods all across the city this week as America celebrated its 231st birthday. Everywhere you looked you could see the Grand Old Flag waving in the breeze. Some patriotic individual placed an American flag in every yard in my neighborhood, and that small deed certainly brightened the corner of our world...

Rolling Thunder promotes veterans' needs (06/30/07)
Most of the time, the low rumble of motorcycle engines brings to mind the ugly stereotypes associated with those who take to the road with leather and Harley Davidson logos. That's not the case with these guys. They are called Rolling Thunder and chances are that you've seen them before, either at demonstrations or at the funerals of fallen soldiers. ...

Impact statement issued for proposed CBAT sites (06/25/07)
The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been issued for the three sites competing to host the U.S. Air Force's Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) program, including Arnold AFB in Coffee and Franklin counties. A public hearing will be held 6-8 p.m. July 10 at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza in Manchester for comment on Arnold's portion of the draft EIS. A copy of the report can be downloaded from www.aetc.af.mil/library/cbat.asp...

Fund-raiser will benefit Golczynski (06/22/07)
Though nothing can replace his father, people of middle Tennessee are doing something to provide for Christian Golczynski, son of the late Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, who lost his life in combat with Iraqi insurgents on March 27. He was laid to rest in Bedford County with a hero's funeral in Wheel...

Guard response procedures tested (06/21/07)
The Tennessee National Guard is trained, ready and well equipped to assist in the event of a state emergency, Maj. Gen. Gus Hargett, the state's Adjutant General, said today. "Although the Tennessee Guard has deployed more than 11,200 Soldiers and Airmen since 9/11, and left more than 250 million dollars worth of equipment in Iraq, the Department of Defense has a plan to replace that equipment and they are following through with that plan," he said. ...

Engine for new airliner tested at AEDC (06/09/07)
The Rolls-Royce engine which will power the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been extensively tested at the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center, say AEDC officials. The 787 will make its debut test flight later this year and is scheduled to enter passenger service a year from now...

WWII bombing area to be inspected (06/02/07)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to look for World War II military debris on private property west of Shelbyville which was part of the former Tullahoma Bombing and Gunnery Range. In spite of the name, the sites are located south of U.S. 41-A and north of State Route 64 in the western half of the county...

Slain Marine's family welcomes home his comrades (04/30/07)
NASHVILLE -- Relatives of the slain Marine buried in Bedford County welcomed their son's comrades home from Iraq on Saturday when they lit candles and others shot fireworks. "This is what we came for," Henry Golczynski of Murfreesboro said as 68 Marines were welcomed as heroes after serving with his son, Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, 30, who was buried in Wheel Cemetery on April 4...

A hero laid to rest (04/05/07)
WHEEL -- An American hero was laid to rest here Wednesday as thousands of people in Bedford and Marshall counties mourned the combat death last week of Staff Sgt. Marcus Andrew (Marc) Golczynski who perished during small arms fire in Fallujah, Iraq...

Slain Marine comes home (04/03/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- Virtually everybody in town lined Horton Highway when U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski returned yesterday in a hearse guarded by state, county and town law enforcement officers, passing Forrest High School where his mother, Elaine Huffines, teaches science...

Guard troops, familes honored for service (04/02/07)
National Guard troops -- and the families who supported them during their deployment to Iraq -- were honored Saturday morning at a "Freedom Salute" held in the Cascade High School gymnasium. The troops, from armories in Shelbyville, Lawrenceburg, Pulaski and Winchester, left Tennessee in September 2005 as Battery B, 1st Battalion, 115th Field Artillery, but have since been reorganized into Detachment 1, Company G, 473rd Forward Support Company. They returned from Iraq in November 2006...

AEDC honors pioneer female flyer (03/31/07)
ARNOLD AFB -- Navy Lt. Kara Hultgreen, who stood up to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force during a committee hearing and helped to pave the way for female combat pilots in the armed forces, got her wish of becoming a fighter pilot -- only to die in a training accident while landing on an aircraft carrier in 1994...

Guard members to be honored Saturday (03/29/07)
National Guard soldiers from Shelbyville's Detachment 1, Co. G, 473rd Forward Support Company, will be recognized during "Freedom Salute" ceremonies Saturday at Cascade High School. About 145 Middle Tennessee soldiers and their families will be honored at the program, set to begin at 10:30 a.m. in the gymnasium...

Marine with area ties killed on patrol (03/29/07)
A U.S. Marine who grew up in Lewisburg with parents now in Moore and Rutherford counties was killed in Iraq while on patrol Tuesday, according to relatives and the Marine Corp. Sgt. Marcus Marc Andrew "Marc" Golczynski, 30, "was killed as a result of a gunshot wound to his abdomen" while on foot patrol in the Al Anbar Province, Marine Lt. Col. Melinda Hermann said this morning...

A career in the Army, and in music (03/10/07)
Mark Stauffer has been playing music since he was old enough to hold an instrument. First it was the cornet and the trumpet, and then in the fifth grade he played the French horn for a year. "When I was in the sixth grade, my father told me the band didn't have a tuba player, and he said 'Go play tuba,'" Stauffer said, remembering how he first got started playing the large brass instrument at his father's prompting...

Bredesen defends Guard at border (03/03/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen said that Tennessee National Guard troops currently stationed at the country's southern border have the ability to defend themselves if necessary and are playing a vital national security role. Bredesen has been at the Arizona border to visit some 400 troops who are assisting the U.S. Border Patrol as part of "Operation Jump Start." Troops have been manning stations on the border and have also being constructing fences along the border...

Fort Campbell soldiers suspected in burglary here (02/28/07)
Two soldiers from Fort Campbell are suspects in a home burglary that's been solved by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, officials said Tuesday. Ricky Lee Grundy Jr., 19, originally from Iona, Mich., is charged with burglary of Jeremy Tyree's home on Justice Hollow Road east of Wartrace, Sheriff's Detective Brian Farris said...

Lack of guard gear causes concern (02/26/07)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) addressed the National Guard Association of Tennessee's General Convention in Davidson County on Friday, emphasizing the importance of re-equipping units returning from active duty abroad. "Many of our Tennessee Guard units have come home from Iraq and Afghanistan almost empty handed, having had to leave their equipment behind for others to use," Alexander said. ...

101st trains at AEDC ranges (01/26/07)
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE -- Members of the 101st Airborne Division have been at the National Guard firing range outside of Tullahoma this week, brushing up on their marksmanship and getting new troops ready for possible deployment. Officers with the 101st call the firing range one of the best they've been at and this is what AEDC officials like to hear, since the Air Force base is in the running to host the Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) program...

AEDC could host short-term training too (01/19/07)
Arnold AFB, already under consideration as a site for the Common Battlefield Airman Training (CBAT) program, is also in the running to host a smaller, short-term interim version of CBAT training, Arnold Engineering Development Center spokesman Tim White revealed during a civic club program here...

Reaction to Bush speech falls on partisan lines (01/11/07)
Tennessee reaction to President Bush's address to the nation Wednesday night appears to fall more or less along party lines, with Democrats criticizing Bush's proposals while Republicans express cautious optimism. Bush's new strategy increases U.S. forces in Iraq by 21,500 and demands greater cooperation from the Iraqi government...

Retired Air Force vet is glad to be home (01/08/07)
Todd Crockett may have traveled the world in his almost 22-year career with the Air Force, but when retirement time arrived, there was no other place he wanted to be than back home in Middle Tennessee. Born and raised in Shelbyville, Crockett attended Southside Elementary, Thomas Intermediate and graduated from Shelbyville Central in 1982...

Saddam Hussein executed on the gallows (12/30/06)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Saddam Hussein struggled briefly after American military guards handed him over to Iraqi executioners before dawn Saturday. But as his final moments approached and masked executioners slipped a black cloth and noose around his neck, he grew calm...

AEDC gets environmental award (12/29/06)
Arnold Air Force Base received an early Christmas present last week in the form of the 2006 Gen. Thomas D. White Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation. A major accomplishment leading to this Air Force-level award was managing the comeback and delisting of a federally threatened species, the Eggert's sunflower...

AEDC welcomes new commander (12/12/06)
ARNOLD AFB -- Col. Arthur F. Huber II was installed as the 25th commander of Arnold Engineering Development Center during ceremonies Monday at the University of Tennessee Space Institute which also marked the formal retirement of Brig. Gen. David L. Stringer from the Air Force...

Brandon recalls service in Pacific (12/07/06)
James Brandon had just lowered his 20-millimeter gun for reloading. His two loaders had finished the job and Brandon, the third member of the crew, was preparing to raise the gun back up when he caught a Japanese pilot in his sights. The plane was so close that Brandon could see horn-rimmed glasses behind the pilot's goggles...

Some local guard members may receive Bronze Star (12/06/06)
About 10 men who served in the Tennessee Army National Guard unit that recently returned from Iraq to Shelbyville may soon be wearing a Bronze Star medal on their uniforms, according to their commander. The fire fight that prompted Capt. Ted Webb to recommend two of the soldiers was described by the commander during comments on Saturday at Henry Horton State Park where veterans groups welcomed him to dinner...

Vets say America must be vigilant (12/06/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Similarities and differences between 9/11 and Pearl Harbor were a few of the dinner discussion topics Saturday among veterans who've been gathering for an annual meal in Bedford or Marshall counties for nearly a decade. And when war stories faded, the old soldier who's leading the AmVets Post, Howard Pinkston of Halls Mill, turned to Capt. Ted Webb of Belfast, commander of the National Guardsmen who just returned from Iraq, and they just talked about motorcycles and old cars...

Big Brothers paper sale raises $4,500 so far (11/28/06)
Merchants and other businessmen in Bedford County have contributed enough money to the Big Brothers paper sale so that veterans may provide about 400 Christmas food boxes. "We got about $4,500," said Roy Bartlette, commander of the American Legion post here, as he and Wilburn Hastings, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, were about to drive off from Shelbyville's public square Monday...

Some Guard volunteers may go back soon (11/24/06)
Tennessee National Guardsmen who volunteered to go to Iraq with the men based here late last year could be called back to active duty sooner than the soldiers they joined. That's according to Capt. Ted Webb, commander of the artillery unit that left from the South Cannon Boulevard armory on Sept. 14, 2005, and returned to Calsonic Arena on Tuesday night after a year of convoy security work in Iraq...

Crocheted flag welcomes 'soldier men' (11/22/06)
It was a labor of love that took nearly 100 skeins of yarn, and Ruby Davis of Shelbyville says it shows her pride in the National Guard troops who returned to Shelbyville Tuesday night. It's a crocheted American flag, displaying miles and miles of heart...

Soldiers braved danger in Iraq (11/22/06)
The Tennessee National Guardsmen who left Shelbyville in September last year marched back into the arms of family and friends on Tuesday with, as one soldier put it, "the most perfect sound in the world": cheers, applause and shouts of delight. The soldiers' march from Calsonic Arena's warm up room into the horse show ring was a military version of a football team running onto the field. ...

Celebration, others helped organize event (11/22/06)
The homecoming for Shelbyville's National Guardsmen was organized by a soldier's sister-in-law who said she received calls from people who volunteered to help. That included a call from Chip Walters, spokesman for the Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration who said, "Our CEO, Ron Thomas, wanted to be sure there would be a good place for them.....

Guard expected to return Tuesday night (11/18/06)
It's not carved in stone -- but expectations are that the B-Battery 115th will be arriving in Shelbyville at approximately 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. A huge welcoming ceremony is being planned at Calsonic Arena. Saturday, the Family Readiness Group, local veterans and other volunteers gathered to decorate Calsonic Arena with banners, flags and ribbons...

Tie a yellow ribbon for returning troops (11/17/06)
The song by Tony Orlando and Dawn from 1972 urged everyone to "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree" --�and next week, Shelbyville will do just that. Everyone is urged to break out the bright colors to welcome home Battery B 1st Battalion 115th Field Artillery, which was converted to a transportation unit: Detachment 1, Company G of the 473rd Brigade Support Battalion Forward Support Co...

Here's to our veterans (11/13/06)
From school programs in the middle of the week, through a reception to get vets together with employers and to the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, not to mention Sunday sermons on the topic, Bedford County residents honored the men and women who have and those who are serving in the military...

Buchanan sees Iraq war's positive side (11/11/06)
Second Lieutenant Anthony Buchanan's job in Iraq may have not involved facing terrorists, but he had a job and did it with commitment. Buchanan's job is public relations and he said that putting a positive face to the ongoing conflict with a pessimistic mainstream media constantly showing the negative side of the story is a daunting challenge...

Veterans Day parade 3 p.m. Saturday (11/10/06)
Events honoring veterans include tributes to service and sacrifice, but they also include humorous stories of camaraderie much like one told Wednesday in the library at Cascade High School where guests gathered before a program. While Phil Ayers was on duty on the U.S.S. ...

Sending vets to see their memorial (11/10/06)
The national World War II memorial opened on the Mall in Washington in 2004, 60 years after the conflict it commemorates, and most of the men whose courage and self-sacrifice it salutes have not been able to see it in person. Robert Daniel would like to change that...

Reward offered for info on statue damage (11/09/06)
A $1,600 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of vandals who defaced the veterans statue on Shelbyville's public square by paining a swastika on the helmet of one of the two figures. Bedford County Veterans Service Officer Gordon Warren announced the reward on Wednesday. ...

Ex-POWs to lead Veterans Day Parade (11/09/06)
Three World War II POWs with strong Bedford County ties say they are "proud and honored" to again be selected as Grand Marshals of the Veterans Day Parade. "People might get tired of looking at us," quipped Fayne Haynes, who along with John C. "Junior" Helton led the 2005 parade...

Swastika has been removed (11/02/06)
Bell Buckle sculptor Russ Faxon has rubbed out a swastika painted on the helmet of a soldier's figure in the statue on Veterans Memorial Plaza in front of the Bedford County Courthouse. "It looked like somebody made a stencil and put it up there and sprayed it," Faxon said Wednesday evening of his examination of the vandalism discovered Tuesday morning. "You could see some spray-over."...

Driver critical after hitting monument (11/01/06)
A large monument to a fallen World War II soldier smashed though a rear window of an out-of-control van during a traffic accident Tuesday in Rover, leaving the driver critically injured. Frank Vass, 63, of Pierce Place in a subdivision a few blocks from the crash site, lost control at the intersection of U.S. 41-A North and Old Rover Road shortly after noon. His van struck a tree and the monument...

Veterans monument defaced (10/31/06)
A swastika has been painted on the helmet of the soldier's statue standing over Veterans Memorial Plaza on the south lawn of the Bedford County Courthouse. American Legion Commander Roy Bartlette noticed the vandalism on Monday. "I was up there, laying bricks this morning and I looked up and saw something that didn't look right, so I climbed up on the base to see if it was wet. It wasn't," Bartlette said. "I've called the sheriff about it. That's county property."...

Veterans will have afternoon parade this year (10/30/06)
Veterans Day parades in Shelbyville apparently have a tendency of tradition for starting and stopping points, and that was part of the planning process for the event on Nov. 11. "For some reason, it falls together and it works out good," American Legion Post Commander Roy Bartlette said during last week's meeting of the United Veterans Council of Bedford County...

Guard families to be briefed (10/25/06)
Relatives and close friends of the National Guardsmen returning from Iraq to Shelbyville next month are being called to a briefing on Sunday in the Chamber of Commerce offices on South Cannon Boulevard. Col. Ron Strahle, of the Guard's offices in Smyrna is to oversee the 2 p.m. discussion which is being likened to the briefing conducted at Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church before the soldiers left on Sept. 14 last year...

North addresses church event in Murfreesboro (10/17/06)
MURFREESBORO -- Funny, serious and inspirational is probably the only way to describe Oliver North's speech at the fourth annual "Stars of Faith" Men's Event at World Outreach Church. Held Monday evening, men came from as far as Ohio to attend the event, which was originally slated to be held in a tent holding 3,000, but wet and windy weather forced it indoors...

Guard may leave Iraq next month (10/16/06)
Tennessee Army National Guardsmen from Shelbyville serving in Iraq could be leaving that war-torn country about a month from today. But, because their unit's designation has changed, their headquarters may be moved from Shelbyville. "They'll be headquartered at another location because they will be a transportation unit, not an artillery unit," Valerie McConnell, the president of the Shelbyville-based Family Readiness Group, said Friday when asked about the unit's name change...

Air Force training site could boost economy (10/07/06)
Arnold Air Force Base, which is already home to Arnold Engineering Development Center, is being considered as one possible location for an Air Force training facility which could mean up to 800 additional jobs and up to $350 million in additional economic impact on Southern Middle Tennessee...

Guard members set to return in 7 weeks (10/04/06)
National Guardsmen who left Shelbyville last fall bound for Iraq will be back in about seven weeks, according to the president of the Guard's Family Readiness Group here. "Everybody's doing well, there have been no injuries and they're ready to get out of Dodge," said Valerie McConnell, president of the Readiness Group that helps the soldiers' relatives while they're away...

Local vets on Vietnam Memorial (10/02/06)
NASHVILLE -- A traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was on display last week in Nashville where the names of those 58,253 who died during the war were read aloud on Sunday. Sam Baird of Nashville, a volunteer with the replica, searched the organization's computer records with the names of the municipalities and nearby communities of Bedford and Marshall counties. He reported the following names of local servicemen who died in the Vietnam War...

Replica still has real effect on veterans, survivors (10/02/06)
NASHVILLE -- While it's a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall seems to have the same effect on people, prompting somber remembrance and reflection. That was the response from Randy Gentry of Nashville who has family ties to the Wheel community. He was at the Dignity Wall at Woodlawn Cemetery Sunday with Cynthia Burch of Antioch who looked for her brother's name on the replica...

POWs, MIAs recognized at ceremony (09/16/06)
MURFREESBORO -- "There is no greater display of courage than was displayed by our prisoners of war," said Tony Bennett of the Veterans Administration's Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS), during an Ex-POW / MIA Day observance Friday at the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center...

Answers, and new questions, about plane parts (09/12/06)
The mystery of what's lying in the Duck River in Normandy has been solved, and although it's not from World War II, the pieces are definitely from a warplane. Instead of being a bomber that crashed in 1943, the large parts are actually seven external fuel tanks from a B-52 Stratofortress...

Troubled youth hopes to become a Marine (09/11/06)
The Marines are being called into Bedford County Circuit Court to interpret a recruiter's letter before the judge sentences a teen-ager charged with tampering with evidence in a shooting death. "This is as ambiguous as it can be," Judge Lee Russell said of a letter from U.S. Marine Corps. Staff Sgt. Daniel DeGroff, a recruiter in Murfreesboro who spoke of "recruit training" prospects for Michael Thomas Bass...

Remains of WWII aircraft recovered from river (09/08/06)
Enormous sections of a World War II aircraft that has rested on the bottom of the Duck River in Normandy for over 60 years were uncovered and measured by Air Force and Navy personnel Thursday. But after examining the vintage wreckage, there are now more questions than answers over exactly what type of warplane is sitting on the river bed...

Shelbyville soldier reflects on Iraq duty (08/19/06)
As soon as his current military obligations are completed, a Shelbyville soldier plans to re-enlist for re-deployment to Germany so his children can experience more of the world. Re-enlistment papers for Bryan Stewart Sr. are to be finalized in a little less than two months...

Stolen flags to be replaced (08/04/06)
A flag manufacturer and distributor based in South Carolina says he will replace American flags that were stolen from Lane Parkway during the Fourth of July display last month. And the United Veterans Council of Bedford County is grateful, according to a past commander who's led the posting of American flags on national holidays and other traditional flag days...

Flags will wave during TWHNC (07/31/06)
American flags will be posted first around Shelbyville's public square and then along Lane Parkway in recognition of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration starting late next month. Under the leadership of its new chairman, James Ray Arnold Sr., commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 43, the United Veterans Council of Bedford County last Tuesday unanimously voted for the patriotic display...

AEDC to reduce work force (07/14/06)
The primary contractor at Arnold Engineering Development Center says it will need anywhere from 130 to 210 fewer employees next fiscal year and is offering voluntary severance packages and (in some cases) early retirement in hopes of reducing its workforce without layoffs...

Bridge will honor McClenney (07/13/06)
The new bridge crossing Duck River on Highway 82 near Flat Creek will officially become the Pfc. Daniel B. McClenney Memorial Bridge on Saturday. A dedication ceremony will be held 2:30 p.m., conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps League, Brig. Gen. Austin Shofner Detachment, Tullahoma. Dignitaries to attend include state Rep. Curt Cobb and state Sen. Jim Tracy...

Guard members may be home by Thanksgiving (07/10/06)
There's a chance that National Guardsmen from the unit based in Shelbyville might be back from Iraq before Thanksgiving. That's according to Valerie McConnell, president of the Family Readiness Group that met Sunday afternoon in the Armory on South Cannon Boulevard...

Iwo Jima photo was not staged, says exhibit curator (06/30/06)
NASHVILLE -- Cyma Rubin, curator of an exhibit of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos now on display at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, wants to set the record straight: The photo of U.S. marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima was not, repeat not, staged...

Gordon seeks to protect vets from ID theft (06/26/06)
U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon has been advocating legislation to help protect 26.5 million veterans from identity theft following the theft of their personal information because a government employee took a laptop computer home. "I'm for that," says Grady Sinclair, one of the Iwo Jima survivors who gathered this past weekend at Henry Horton State Park for the veterans' 49th annual reunion of soldiers who fought together in an anti-aircraft unit on the Pacific island during 1945...

Veterans address today's war (06/26/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Soldiers' distaste for war emerged from comments by survivors of Iwo Jima who closed their 49th annual reunion Sunday with a memorial service for comrades who passed since their previous gathering at Henry Horton State Park. "When the Iraq war started and what they had were weapons of mass destruction, I was all for it until they found out Saddam didn't have none," said Crawford "Bead Cook" Henson, 84, of Railroad Avenue, Shelbyville. ...

AEDC's Stringer to retire in January (06/24/06)
Headquarters Air Force has announced that Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Commander Brig. Gen. David L. Stringer will retire Jan. 1, 2007. Stringer has commanded AEDC since February 2004. AEDC, located in Coffee and Franklin counties, is the largest collection of ground-based aerospace test facilities in the world...

Iwo Jima survivors gather, remember (06/24/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- From GI Joe to Sgt. Bilko, they're all here in flesh and blood, spirit and memory. These are the men of the 483rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery unit during World War II who gather annually to renew friendships born in war and to remember those who died in combat...

Hallum headed to Naval Academy (06/21/06)
After receiving a nomination from U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., recent Shelbyville Central High School graduate Robert Hallum will report to campus later this month. "Each year, I have the honor of nominating some of the most outstanding young men and women in Middle Tennessee to our nation's service academies," Gordon said. ...

Bodies of Fort Campbell soldiers reported found (06/20/06)
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- As the families of two missing soldiers waited to hear from the U.S. military Tuesday, the uncle of one lashed out at the government, saying it didn't do enough to bring the men home safe. "Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life," Ken MacKenzie, uncle of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, told NBC's "Today" show...

A flight into the past (05/30/06)
TULLAHOMA -- If you close your eyes, the sounds, smells and movements of the B-24 Liberator bomber helps you experience what thousands of young men went through over 60 years ago during World War II. Diamond Lil is her name and she was just one of many vintage aircraft that was on display and in the air at the Wings of Freedom Air Show held in Tullahoma on Saturday. The show was intended as a two-day event but had to be canceled on Sunday due to inclement weather...

Memorial Day is more than cookouts (05/28/06)
Memorial Day is more than just the cause of a three-day weekend. It is more than just a symbolic beginning to summer. Memorial Day is not really about grilling out in the same way that Easter is not really about bunnies. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died in combat...

Waiting for Teddy Bear (05/27/06)
The woman in the foreign dress and headwear lives quietly somewhere south of Nashville with a Christmas tree in her living room, a Yorkshire Terrier named after her doctor, and she's waiting for her "Teddy Bear." She's Tracy Webb, wife of Capt. Ted Webb, commander of the Tennessee Army National Guard B Battery of the 1-115th Field Artillery unit that's been working in Iraq, having left Shelbyville nearly eight months ago...

Maryland man plans to decorate McClenney grave site (05/27/06)
A Baltimore, Md., man says he's going to Flat Creek where he'll place flowers on the grave of a Bedford County man who died fighting in Afghanistan as a U.S. Marine. The Maryland man's son also fought in Afghanistan and has since been deployed to Iraq...

McConnell enjoys brief visit home (05/26/06)
Remember the old country song, "The Green, Green Grass of Home?" When Ricky McConnell approached the Atlanta airport on his way to a leave in Tennessee, the green trees and grass leaped out at him like a Technicolor smile, a pleasant change from the hot and arid surroundings of western Iraq...

Map will help find Veterans Memorial bricks (05/24/06)
A map has been drawn to help people find their veterans' engraved bricks at the Bedford County Veterans Memorial Plaza, but all the names haven't been written on the map yet. Don Nelson, 59, a member of the Bedford County Veterans Council, said Tuesday he Is working on the map which should eventually be available at the plaza or the courthouse, possibly in Veterans Service Officer Gordon Warren's office...

Armory to hold pancake supper, open house (05/12/06)
An open house and pancake breakfast will be held Saturday at the National Guard Armory on South Cannon Boulevard (Fayetteville Highway). Proceeds from the pancake breakfast will be used for a commander's fund to support the soldiers who were deployed to the Middle East last September from the local National Guard unit and to fund a community appreciation day when they return...

DC-3 brings back memories for Farrar (05/11/06)
The restored DC-3 parked at Shelbyville Municipal Airport this week attracted a number of curious visitors even before the scheduled touring time, including a couple of men with memories of their own about these planes that transformed air travel. They were strong, stable and relatively easy to fly, according to Ike Farrar, 87, of Flat Creek, who's flown 1,000 hours in a DC-3. ...

Flags posted for National Day of Prayer (05/04/06)
Fifty American Flags were posted this morning along Lane Parkway and on Shelbyville's Public Square to mark the National Day of Prayer. At least half a dozen members of the Veterans Council of Bedford County were collecting the flags stored at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5019 on East Depot Street at about 6:15 a.m...

Clearer view of memorial sought (04/28/06)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee, meeting Monday night, heard a request from the United Veterans Council to close two parking spaces in front of the new Bedford County Veterans Memorial. According to Roy Bartlette, the change is being requested so that vehicles driving by can get an unobstructed view of the monument. Another parking space next to the two closed spaces would be realigned slightly and marked as handicapped parking...

Replica of statue has been destroyed (04/26/06)
The replica of the bronze statue in the Veterans Memorial Plaza on Shelbyville's Public Square was destroyed during a private event conducted by several members of the Veterans Council of Bedford County. Made several years ago by Bell Buckle artist Russ Faxon to show what the finished product would look like, the plaster cast broke when it was carried from the courthouse on Friday afternoon, during its move and then when unloaded...

Air Force, NASA cooperation saves money (04/07/06)
ARNOLD AFB -- Enhancing the cooperation between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Air Force makes good sense for the taxpayer and helps get the most research for the available money, according to NASA's top aeronautics researcher and the Air Force's chief scientist...

Several memorial bricks to be corrected (04/05/06)
As more brick pavers were being placed Tuesday at the Veterans Memorial Plaza on Shelbyville's Public Square, the chairman of the Veterans Council of Bedford County said a number of bricks must be replaced. "Ten of 1,111 bricks," said Roy Bartlette, who's also commander of American Legion Post 23. "That's pretty darned good" for the faithful reproduction of the unique inscriptions requested for each of the bricks purchased to fund the plaza...

Guard unit may return by Christmas (04/04/06)
National Guardsmen from the unit based in Shelbyville might be back, stateside, from Iraq in about eight months. That's according to Capt. Ted Webb, commander of Battery B 1st Battalion 115th Field Artillery, headquartered at the Armory on South Cannon Boulevard...

Replica of statue to be destroyed (03/29/06)
The Veterans Council of Bedford County has decided to destroy its replica of the bronze statue depicting a soldier and a boy he left behind on his way to war. How, where and when to destroy the replica was not decided, although the veterans said they'd consult Bell Buckle artist Russ Faxon who created the statue on Shelbyville's Public Square and its replica in the main lobby of the Bedford County Courthouse...

Blanchard cleared of wrongdoing (03/25/06)
A Shelbyville man has been cleared of alleged wrongdoing after a Navy investigation into his detention and that of 15 other military contractors in Iraq last spring when a U.S. Marine general barred them from Fallujah for allegedly speeding and indiscriminately firing shots that hit Marine positions...

A day to honor veterans (03/11/06)
All veterans are heroes, according to the state commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, speaking to approximately 1,000 people on Shelbyville's public square Saturday during the dedication of Veterans Memorial Plaza. "When the call of their country came, they answered," Commander Jim Cowan said before Bedford County Veterans Council Chairman Roy Bartlette and VFW Post Commander Wilburn Hastings removed an olive-colored shroud from the statue...

Dedication Day arrives; statue to be unveiled (03/10/06)
While there's a 40 percent chance of rain when the Bedford County Veterans Council is to dedicate its memorial to all veterans tomorrow morning, there's a chance the clouds will have moved on by 11 a.m. when the ceremony is to begin. Virtually the same forecast was issued almost 11 months ago when rain stopped and clouds cleared at the hour of honor for the presentation of a Silver Star to the family of Marine Pfc. ...

Riding in a 'Flying Fortress' (03/08/06)
SMYRNA--James Grizzell's face had a mixture of emotions as he climbed off the Liberty Belle, one of only 14 B-17 "Flying Fortresses" that can still take to the air. That's because the last time the Hendersonville resident stepped foot inside one of these aircraft was when he was flying one -- back in World War II...

AEDC takes control of California facility (03/08/06)
The U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center has agreed to take over a NASA-owned aerodynamics complex in California which specializes in testing of helicopters; this will become AEDC's second remote location. AEDC and the Air Force have signed a lease with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to reopen the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) located at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. ...

Veterans Memorial statue waits for unveiling (03/07/06)
The statue for the Bedford County Veterans Memorial Plaza was placed Monday morning on its granite base where the public is invited for its unveiling and dedication ceremony Saturday. Immediately after placement of the life-sized statue -- depicting a soldier going off to an uncertain future and leaving a boy behind -- the bronze figures were shrouded in black plastic to hide the image until the statue is unveiled...

Soldier talks wife through childbirth -- from Iraq (02/27/06)
There are two things you notice while pulling up in front of the Bowling home in Shelbyville. One is a flag that says "United States Army." The other one is a sign a few feet away announcing "It's a boy!" Luke Bowling is home from Iraq on a two-week leave to spend time with his wife, Patricia, and their newborn son James. ...

Proud Patriots send troops holiday cheer (02/16/06)
The Easter and Passover holidays will be upon us soon and the organization Proud Patriots is hoping to make them a bit brighter for the men and women serving in lands far from their loved ones. "Operation Easter/Passover" is a non-denominational effort to send gifts and holiday messages to our troops stationed overseas. As a part of "Operation Easter/Passover," Proud Patriots is asking businesses, schools, churches, synagogues, and the public to take part in this campaign...

Any soldier is a veteran (02/15/06)
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word "veteran" this way: veteran ... 1a: an old soldier of long service ... 1b: a former member of the armed forces ... 2: a person of long experience in some occupation or skill (as politics or the arts)...

Base placed for Veterans Memorial (02/09/06)
More than four tons of granite were placed on the southwest lawn of the Bedford County Courthouse on Wednesday morning to serve as the base of the Veterans Memorial that's to be unveiled in early March. "I was proud to see it go up," said William McKamey, 88, of Midland Road, who watched from a courthouse window as the placement of two pieces of granite were lifted by a crane provided by Cooper Steel and directed by Barry Cooper, chairman of the Bedford County School Board...

Base and benches to be placed at veterans' memorial (02/03/06)
Another significant step is to be taken next week toward establishing a monument on Shelbyville's Public Square for all military veterans from this county, according to the chairman of the Veterans Council of Bedford County. "They will be installing all the granite; the base and the benches," chairman Roy Bartlette, commander of the American Legion Post 53, said about the planned placement of 8,500 pounds of granite next Wednesday morning, "weather permitting."...

Bush recaps State of the Union in Nashville (02/02/06)
NASHVILLE -- Speaking at a packed Grand Old Opry House, President George W. Bush gave Tennesseans an informal recap of Tuesday's State of the Union speech, addressing Iraq, Iran, domestic issues and energy. Accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Sen. Lamar Alexander, both of Tennessee, Nashville was the first stop Wednesday for Bush following his annual address to the House and Senate. Laura Bush joined her husband for the Nashville visit...

Popular aerobatic pilot to return to Tullahoma (01/30/06)
One of the top female aerobatic pilots in the world will be one of the featured aerial acts at the Arnold Air Force Base 55th Anniversary Wings of Freedom Air Show scheduled Memorial Day weekend, May 27-28, at Tullahoma Regional Airport. Patty Wagstaff, a crowd favorite at air shows nationwide, is the first woman to win the prestigious title of U.S. ...

Ford says he supports small business (01/20/06)
U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., a candidate for the U.S. Senate, visited Shelbyville on Thursday and toured Economy Pencil Co., telling the firm's Allen Pitner that his policies would be friendlier to small businesses than those of his Republican opponents...

Veterans group cuts off photos for memorial (01/12/06)
Photographs of veterans for publication in the Times-Gazette will not be accepted by the Veterans Council of Bedford County after Sunday, according to the council's chairman, who says enough money has been raised to pay for the Veterans Memorial. Beyond having raised enough money for the monument and the associated plaza, council chair and American Legion Post 23 commander Roy Bartlette says there must be a cutoff time for the purchase of bricks so that an order may be placed to obtain the brick pavers.. ...

Hospital sale named 2005's top story (12/31/05)
The sale of Bedford County Medical Center has been voted the top local news story of 2005 by a poll of the Times-Gazette news staff; readers of the T-G web site, meanwhile, chose the activation of the local National Guard unit as the year's top story...

Valentine love sought for soldiers (12/30/05)
Valentine's Day will be upon us soon and the organization called Proud Patriots is gearing up for Operation Valentine's Day. They're hoping to make the holiday a bit brighter for the men and women serving in lands far from their loved ones. Proud Patriots describe themselves as a group of private Americans "who are working to ensure that our brave military heroes receive the support we believe they deserve." They send care packages, e-mail, and snail mail to our troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as individuals stationed in several other countries and on deployed ships. ...

Flight test leader discovers AEDC (12/28/05)
On his first visit to Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Dec. 8, Major Gen. Curtis Bedke, commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., said the main thing he wanted to do was to understand the scope of the work at Arnold...

Soldier proud to defend freedom (12/28/05)
The following holiday greeting was sent from Senior Airman Tony G. Brown Jr., who is serving his second tour of duty in the Persian Gulf, to his family and friends. He is the son of Tony and Regina Brown of Shelbyville. I wanted to send a special note on this wonderful day in the world. First, I will brag and say I am in a very holy place compared to the States, and very close to where it all took place when Jesus was born...

Freedom's gift this Christmas (12/25/05)
National news reports recently brought back memories of a rural Tennessee road commission election back in the 1980s. Comparisons between federal office elections and those for the lesser-known road board races will never be exact, although the behavior of voters might be a common thread...

Concrete poured at memorial site (12/21/05)
As the base of the Bedford County Veterans Memorial Plaza has been poured, dedication of the statue honoring all Bedford County veterans is scheduled this spring before another statue is set by the Bell Buckle artist who's created them both. "It's going to be good," said Russ Faxon, whose work is displayed across Tennessee, including a monument for veterans in Nashville near the state capitol. ...

Ground broken for Veterans Memorial Plaza (12/14/05)
Groundbreaking for the Veterans Memorial Plaza was conducted Tuesday morning on the southwest lawn of the Bedford County Courthouse where the United Veterans Council of Bedford County will place a bronze statue of a soldier going to war and a boy he leaves behind...

Shock of Pearl Harbor lives on 64 years later (12/07/05)
Prior to Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was a Naval base somewhere in the Pacific Ocean known to few Americans, but that was changed forever after the deadly attack by the Japanese that President Franklin Roosevelt called "a date which will live in infamy."...

Red Cross assists military families (12/02/05)
In the old days, it was often the American Red Cross that notified soldiers or sailors of tragedy at home. In today's high-tech military, most soldiers, even in harm's way, are in e-mail communication with families at home. But the Red Cross still plays a vital role in helping arrange for emergency leave and other types of assistance for military families, and the events of the past four years have multiplied the calls for assistance to the Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross, which covers Murfreesboro and Bedford counties.. ...

Guard families prepare for parade (11/30/05)
Members of the Family Readiness Group on Monday evening were making decorations for their float in Saturday's Christmas parade and, individually, several spoke about world developments since their husbands have been deployed. This week, it's the slow progression of the trial of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and next month, it's the Dec. 15 election of new leaders in Iraq. Meanwhile, photos of soldiers were being prepared for display on a float in the Shelbyville Christmas Parade...

Christmas bazaar continues (11/25/05)
The B Battery, 1-115th Field Artillery, Family Support Group Craft Show and Christmas Bazaar continues this weekend at the National Guard Armory on Fayetteville Highway. Hours are noon until 7 p.m. today, 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 685-5022...

Readiness group plans Christmas village (11/23/05)
From American military flags to goats' milk soap, the array of gifts and crafts available this weekend at the National Guard Armory will help any family start their Christmas shopping season with a bang. And appropriately so since the National Guard unit that's based at the building on South Cannon Boulevard started as a field artillery unit, although it's been converted to a transportation unit for service in Iraq...

Adjustment precedes move to Iraq (11/22/05)
The Tennessee Army National Guard soldiers who left Shelbyville on Sept. 14 have arrived in Kuwait where they are becoming acclimated to the weather. Temperatures have been recorded at 135 degrees, according to a recently-returned soldier quoted by Sgt. John Neeley, one of the guardsmen at the armory on South Cannon Boulevard...

Veterans Day closings announced (11/09/05)
A number of agencies will close Friday in observance of the Veterans' Day holiday. Here are some schedules of broad interest: ***Closed Friday Bedford County Courthouse and Courthouse Annex offices will close Friday and (where applicable) Saturday....

Parade scheduled for daylight hours (11/09/05)
After years of evening parades, local veterans' groups have planned this year's parade for daylight hours. "It's going to be Friday at 11 a.m.," said Roy Bartlette, commander of the local American Legion post, "because ... the Armistice was declared after World War I, at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 in Paris, France, where the Armistice was signed."...

A guard 'Celebration' before shipping out (11/09/05)
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has covered transportation costs to make it possible for Shelbyville-based National Guard troops to enjoy a four-day leave with their families before shipping out to the Middle East. Several elected officials who are also members of the TWHNC Association discuss plans with guard advance team members Sgt. ...

Preparing for deployment (11/08/05)
As the Family Support Group connected with soldiers in B Battery of the 1-115th Tennessee Army National Guard met Friday, members of the unit are being deployed Wednesday following a brief pass early this week. "Some will leave in advance of others," Family Support Group president Valerie McConnell said Monday. "They will be leaving early Wednesday," she said as relatives of the guardsmen turn their attentions to other activities...

Three guard members return after service in Iraq (11/05/05)
MONTEAGLE -- Three Bedford County National Guard members returned home last week from duty in Iraq; two were welcomed by families Friday as they got off a bus in Monteagle; the other had been back since Wednesday due to having been part of an advance team...

Yoakam keeps vet from trading Purple Heart for tickets (11/05/05)
A Vietnam veteran offered to swap his Purple Heart medal for front row tickets to tonight's Dwight Yoakam concert at the Ryman Auditorium for his wife. But when Yoakam's manager found out about it, the country star was notified and tickets were provided....

WWII POWs to lead Veterans Day parade (10/26/05)
The Battle of the Bulge, which lasted from Dec. 16, 1944, to Jan. 28, 1945, was the largest land battle of World War II in which the United States participated. More than a million men fought in this battle, including some 600,000 Germans, 500,000 Americans, and 55,000 British. By the conclusion of the battle, nearly 80,000 Americans had been killed, maimed or captured. ...

Song honors guard members (10/24/05)
A song written by a Middle Tennessee National Guardsman about weekend warriors' new role is to be available to headquarters in Nashville where the guard's public affairs office secured TV news video showing Shelbyville's unit leaving town. The song and the video might be combined for use "in house" by the guard, and while that's a far cry from a commercial music video with Shelbyville soldiers' images illustrating lyrics, it might be seen as the next best thing since the purpose would be to help promote the Tennessee National Guard.. ...

Holiday cheer for soldiers abroad (10/17/05)
Many of us are getting those Christmas gift lists ready in preparation for the holidays, but a nationwide organization is asking everyone not to forget the men and women who are serving overseas who will probably not be spending time with their families in December...

Guard members' absence hits home (10/10/05)
A national guardsman from Shelbyville calls home and talks with his 19-year-old wife. Their daughter hears his voice on the phone and looks for him in the house. Other children go the to altar at church and pray for their daddy. And so the kids' mothers, wives of weekend warriors who are becoming active Army soldiers at Camp Atterbury, Ind., band together for mutual comfort as a community comes together for these families that are already sacrificing a time of childhood...

Almost all local guardsmen will head for Iraq (10/10/05)
Three national guardsmen in the battery of men who left Shelbyville last month won't be going to Iraq with their fellow soldiers, but that fallout is far below normal, the commander reported last week. "Everyone is working well together and of the 142 soldiers leaving with us, only three have been sent home for medical problems," Capt. Ted Webb told the Shelbyville Times-Gazette in an e-mail. "Usually, you lose 10 percent."...

Veterans Memorial closer to reality (09/27/05)
A statue of a soldier leaving for war and the boy he is leaving behind is taking significant steps toward placement in front of the Bedford County Courthouse. "The statue is at the foundry right now being cast in bronze," said Russ Faxon, the Bell Buckle-based sculptor who designed the memorial to honor all military veterans from Bedford County. ...

Halloween for the troops (09/19/05)
A national grassroots on-line organization that supports the troops overseas is gearing up for another campaign to send gifts and messages of support to those deployed far from home. Proud Patriots is gearing up for a new campaign -- "Operation Oktober Fest" -- a patriotic effort with the objective of sending gifts, candy, and holiday messages to our deployed troops this Halloween...

AEDC is more than just a wind tunnel (09/17/05)
ARNOLD AFB -- Some people think of the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center only as a wind tunnel. Actually, AEDC includes 58 different test facilities, 14 of which have no equal anywhere in the world. Satellites can be tested to see how they will survive the cold and vacuum of Earth orbit. ...

'Take care, and come back' (09/15/05)
The men of Battery B 1st Battalion 115th Field Artillery were publicly thanked Wednesday for how well they've transformed themselves into a troop of Tennessee truck drivers and it came in front of friends and family holding on to what was probably their last vision of the men for a long time...

The Volunteer State lives up to its name (09/14/05)
Tennessee National Guardsmen from half a dozen units across the state volunteered to go to Iraq with the men for whom the armory on Shelbyville's Cannon Boulevard is home base. "The unit, within a month's time, had 80 volunteers and we have other people who want to volunteer for our mission," said Capt. Ted Webb, commander of Battery B 1st Battalion 115th Field Artillery...

Guard unit prepares for depature (09/10/05)
Wives, other relatives and girlfriends of the men in the Tennessee Army National Guard unit reporting for active duty today were advised during a three-hour briefing Friday night of assistance available to them and what to anticipate during their soldiers' deployment that could last two years...

Local woman's father witnessed Japanese surrender (09/02/05)
It was 60 years ago today that the Empire of Japan surrendered to the U.S. in ceremonies aboard the U.S.S. Missouri, and one Bedford County woman has a personal connection to the event -- her father was there. Elaine Philpott of Old Center Church Road is the daughter of the late Richard Wolfe, who served on the staff of Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, performing secretarial and clerical duties...

Preparing for service while still in school (08/27/05)
When the Times-Gazette did a story a week or so ago about Eric Wright, who took basic training in between his junior and senior years of high school, we said he was probably the only student in Bedford County taking advantage of the program...

Young patriot gets an early start (08/20/05)
An 18-year-old Bedford County man started his senior year at Cascade High three days after graduating from Army basic training at Fort Sill, Okla. Eric Wright, son of Mitchell and Cindy Wright, has heard of another Middle Tennessean who spent summer vacation in boot camp, but he doesn't know who he or she is...

Family support groups join forces (08/18/05)
With more than 50 Bedford County residents who are members of the Tennessee Army National Guard unit in Shelbyville to be deployed for active duty in Iraq next month, the need for support for those left behind is moving to the forefront. The wives, moms and sisters of the men in B Battery 1-115th Field Artillery have already formed a Family Readiness Group; however, several area support groups in surrounding counties are joining forces to help out as well...

Support group helps Guard families cope (08/11/05)
Call them a "Band of Sisters." They're the wives, mothers and sisters of soldiers in B Battery 1-115th of the Tennessee Army National Guard who have decided to maintain and foster their common bond through a Family Readiness Group. "I think we're going to need each other," said Valerie McConnell, president of the Family Readiness Group that could have disbanded after deployment of B Battery 1-115th on Sept. 11, a date dreaded by the women but described by one soldier as "payback time."...

Guard drills for last time before deployment (08/08/05)
Map reading and improvised explosive devices were two of the topics taught Saturday during the last weekend of National Guard drills before deployment for men of Shelbyville-based B Battery 1-115th. The unit leaves Sept. 11 for the Middle East. Listed as an artillery unit, the battery of some 162 soldiers would appear to be headed for duty as a transportation unit because that's their commander's specialty, but even Capt. Ted Webb isn't so sure...

Guard unit leaves for Iraq on Sept. 11 (08/04/05)
More than 50 Bedford County residents in the Tennessee Army National Guard unit based in Shelbyville will be reporting on Sept. 11 for active duty in Iraq. The men are about a third of the soldiers in B Battery 1-115th Field Artillery who will have their last weekend of drills starting 7:30 a.m. Saturday in the Armory on South Cannon Boulevard...

Approval granted for fly-over (08/02/05)
Federal approval has been received for a military aircraft flyover on the final night of this year's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. "We're approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and by the U.S. Air Force," said Celebration public relations director Chip Walters...

More shuttle tests likely at AEDC (07/29/05)
They haven't yet heard officially, but Arnold Engineering Development Center may be doing more testing involving the space shuttle program following reports that foam from the vessel's main fuel tank came off during launch earlier this week. That was the word from the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, Gen. ...

Organization prepares to support troops (07/28/05)
A national grassroots on-line organization that supports the troops overseas is gearing up for its upcoming campaign to send gifts and messages of support to our troops deployed far from home. ProudPatriots.org's "Operation Semper Fi" is a patriotic effort with the objective to send gifts and messages of support with the idea to cheer the staff and patients at a network of field hospitals they support in Iraq...

Shelbyville soldier braves Iraqi gunfire (07/18/05)
As the first criminal charges against Saddam Hussein were filed last week, a Shelbyville resident returned to his base from a military raid near Baghdad where insurgents shot at his unit which captured a sniper. U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy Krieg, a 1987 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School, reports his 278th Regimental Combat Team came under fire from the sniper who was captured while wearing what's sometimes called a "man dress" in Iraq...

Memorial bridge unveiled (07/14/05)
A sign formally identifying the Spc. 4 Donald Stephenson Memorial Bridge was unveiled this morning at Flat Creek, on State Route 64 southwest of Shelbyville. Stephenson was killed in combat in Vietnam on May 5, 1968. His parents, Huffman and Louise Stephenson, and his wartime sweetheart, Valerie Brown, were among those in attendance this morning. ...

Bridge to honor Vietnam casualty (07/09/05)
A bridge on State Highway 64 (Lewisburg Highway) just west of Shelbyville has been named in honor of Donald Ray Stephenson, who was killed in the line of duty in Vietnam. An unveiling ceremony will be held 8:15 a.m. Thursday at the site. "It really is a tribute to all the Vietnam veterans," said Paul Cross, a childhood friend of Stephenson's who, along with Stephenson's cousin Denny Hastings, led the push to have the bridge named for Stephenson...

Blanchard returns from harrowing Iraq experience (07/02/05)
Rick Blanchard knows his head would be chopped off if he were captured by insurgents in Fallujah. Instead, he'd fight to the death if his military contractor's convoy was attacked. Blanchard -- the Shelbyville man who as a Zapata Engineering employee was held by U.S. Marines for 72 hours because his convoy was accused of speeding and indiscriminately firing unapproved weapons on May 28 -- was asked; What if he was held by terrorists?...

Iraq gives soldier appreciation of July 4 (07/02/05)
(Editor's note: In honor of July 4 and all soldiers and veterans, the Times-Gazette highlights this letter to the editor from an Army captain currently serving in Iraq.) To the editor: I ask my fellow Americans to remember the significance of the Fourth of July and the struggle that forged our nation...

Contractors, Marines at odds over jail treatment (06/21/05)
Conflicting stories have emerged about what happened late last month in Fallujah, Iraq, where a Shelbyville man was one of the private security officers in a convoy stopped and detained for three days for allegedly speeding and firing on Marines and Iraqis...

Blanchard says he will appeal (06/11/05)
The Marine Corps has banned at least 16 men -- including a Shelbyville resident -- from U.S. bases in western Iraq because they were allegedly part of a security convoy accused of speeding through Fallujah and indiscriminately firing unauthorized weapons. "I need an attorney," said Rick Blanchard, whose friends and acquaintances here say he's been a Bedford County resident for at least eight years.

Shelbyville man was detained in Fallujah (06/10/05)
A Shelbyville resident says he'll be home this weekend or next week from Iraq where he was part of a corporate security team he says was taken into custody by U.S. Marines, detained for three days in Fallujah and released without an explanation. Rick Blanchard says he was one of eight former U.S. Marines among 14 security specialists in a 19-man convoy employed by Zapata Engineering of Charlotte, N.C. on May 28 in Northern Iraq where Marines intercepted them and escorted them to Camp Fallujah...

Blanchard lives multi-faceted life, say local acquaintances (06/10/05)
As an employee of a military contractor, Rick Blanchard isn't usually in Shelbyville, although he claims this city as his home and the place where he's raising five children from his ex-wife's previous marriage. A former employer, former co-worker, business acquaintance, fellow church member and a lay minister remember Blanchard and described him for the Times-Gazette...

Historic marker honors Army Rangers (06/07/05)
ARNOLD AFB -- A historic marker unveiled Monday -- the 61st anniversary of D-Day -- commemorates the fact that the Second and Fifth Army Ranger Battalions trained at Camp Forrest durign World War II, on the site of what is now the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center...

Vietnam vet seeks bone marrow transplant (06/03/05)
William Ferguson has given to his country -- he served 12 years in the Army and was wounded three times in Vietnam -- but he is visibly uncomfortable about asking for anything from his neighbors. Ferguson is facing many thousands of dollars in medical bills -- even after insurance. He's still waiting for a bone marrow donor, and whenever one is found he could be hospitalized for months and out of work for a year or more...

Casualties of Vietnam, Korea remembered (05/29/05)
A section of The Fly Arts Center is being transformed into a museum that honors Bedford County's veterans in conflicts from the Civil War through Vietnam. "We don't have any Revolutionary War artifacts," Gene Williams, whose research on those who died in Vietnam is nearly done, said last week...

Memorial Day observance on square (05/29/05)
Shelbyville Fire Department's Color Guard presents the colors during Saturday's Memorial Day observance. Festvities honoring Bedford County's veterans included a special tribute to those who served in World War II. The 60th anniversary of Pope's Cafe was also commemorated...

Local Vietnam vets to be honored at museum (05/29/05)
A Shelbyville man is researching the lives and heroism of the dozen Bedford County men who died in the Vietnam conflict -- and what he's finding will be displayed in the Shelbyville-Bedford County History Museum at The Fly Arts Center. Two of the victims were helicopter pilots...

A time to remember and celebrate (05/27/05)
J.R. Crews, a fixture on the Shelbyville square, is excited about Saturday's Memorial Day observance. Crews is himself a Vietnam veteran. "I served my country," he said, spending three years in the Army working with heavy equipment. Saturday's observance will spotlight World War II veterans but will honor all veterans, as well as those who are now serving in the military. The event also salutes Pope's Cafe, for which Crews makes deliveries, on its 60th birthday...

Children of Iraq (05/17/05)
Sgt. Timothy Krieg of Shelbyville sent this photo of himself with children and other locals in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. "The people were very friendly, and the kids wanted everything," said Krieg in an e-mail. "In my opinion, about 85 percent of the people really want us here. You can see it in their eyes when we roll through towns and stop to talk and do patrols." Krieg supports ...

'Patriots' seek July 4 cheer for troops (05/15/05)
A national grassroots on-line organization that supports the troops overseas is gearing up for the Fourth of July with the idea to make their holiday a little brighter while they serve their country. ProudPatriots.org's Operation 4th of July is a patriotic effort with the objective to send gifts and holiday messages to our troops deployed away from home...

Two different memorials for fallen veterans (04/26/05)
Two groups of military veterans are raising money to pay for monuments to American heroes. One is the United Veterans Council of Bedford County, which is selling brick pavers inscribed as the sponsors so choose. The council is paying for a bronze statue to represent all veterans...

McClenney remembered at Silver Star tribute (04/24/05)
Rain stopped and clouds cleared at the hour of honor here Friday for a Bedford County man whose combat death was memorialized with the dedication of a bronze bust in his likeness and the presentation of his Silver Star to a still-grieving father. Nearly speechless, Randy McClenney thanked the Marines who fought alongside his son, Pfc. ...

McClenney's marksmanship remembered (04/21/05)
Daniel McClenney and his best friend were taking aim at wild turkeys while hunting on his father's farm years ago when they kept hearing a faint buzzing. "I asked if he made a turkey call and he said no," recalled Corey Cates, who knew McClenney "since before we were in kindergarten."

McClenney to be honored Friday (04/21/05)
Family and friends of Marine Pfc. Daniel B. McClenney, who was killed in combat last year near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, will be joined by veterans, officials, patriots and other Americans tomorrow morning on Shelbyville's Public Square to honor a home-grown hero...

Military expert remembers Bedford roots (04/17/05)
America's military is so sophisticated that maintaining its weapons systems has become a billion dollar business and a man from Bedford County is working to contain costs by coordinating an industry that wants to provide replacement parts that are better than the originals...

Iraqis cheer Bedford County native (04/14/05)
Hello from Camp Caldwell, Iraq. The closest landmark town is BaladRuz, a few miles down the road. I convoyed for three days from Kuwait to arrive at my new home for the next 12 months. I remember driving through BaladRuz for the first time. The natives stared at us like we all had 12 heads, and they would like to rip six of those 12 off...