Fort Polk
Fort Polk sergeant is named Forces Command NCO of Year
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Castillo of Fort Polk earned the NCO of the Year title at the 2011 Forces Command noncommissioned officer competition. Castillo, who is from Hondo, Texas, won competitions at Fort Polk and Fort Bragg in North Carolina to qualify for the competition at Fort Hood. Full article.
Contests move into mass communication
Are you interested in seeing your art splattered across a billboard on U.S. 171, having a message you wrote was broadcast over the radio, or a commercial you wrote and produced aired on television? These are the contests, offered to Children in Vernon and Beauregard parishes, offered this year by Fort Polk's Army Substance Abuse Program in honor of Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 22-30, which is dedicated to alcohol and drug abuse prevention awareness. Full article.
Landrieu speaks at CENLA Chamber
U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu recently spoke at the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce in Alexandria and touted Fort Polk as "…an economic engine for this whole region." She indicated that the initiative to upgrade the base includes Fort Polk Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to marketing and lobbying for the base's expansion. Full article.
BOSS collecting items for returning single soldiers
The Fort Polk BOSS Program (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) will be providing every returning single soldier from the 4th Brigade 10th Mountain Division with a welcome home bag. To help provide this service, BOSS is asking for help. The organizers are looking for donations of items, volunteers, coupons and money. Full article.
Cafe and bookstore opens just outside Fort Polk
The Upper Room Café and Bon Books recently held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. The Upper Room Café and Bon Books are two businesses in one: A Christian Coffee House and Smoothie Bar plus a Christian Bookstore stocking bibles, books and textbooks with free WIFI. The Upper Room Café is the first Christian coffee shop in Vernon Parish serving latte, cappuccino, frappe and Otis Spunkmeyer freshly baked goods. Full article.
Fort Polk selected to help Army reduce its global 'bootprint"
The Army recently selected Fort Polk to participate in its Net Zero Waste Pilot Program. A Net Zero Waste Installation is one that reduces, reuses and recovers waste streams, and converts them to usable resources. The program is one part of the Army's program to addresses energy and water conservation. Full article.
Fort Polk honored with Archaeology award
Archaeology is all about following the clues. The land Fort Polk sits on is vast and has a tale to tell those willing to discover its story. Bradley Laffitte, staff archaeologist: “Most of the archaeological sites found at Fort Polk are prehistoric and some of the more significant areas are classified as potentially significant. That means we will probably go back at a later time to dig again.” Full article.
Central Texas College finds new LA home
Mayor Robert Rose and Central Texas College (CTC) at Fort Polk are introducing the Leesville Basic Management Skills Program this month. The curriculum focuses on improving life-skills necessary for success in today's competitive job market. Participants who complete the program will receive a joint certificate from the City of Leesville and CTC. Full article.
165-member transport unit assigned to Fort Polk
Military personnel stationed at the U.S. Army's Fort Polk and Joint Readiness Training Center in Vernon Parish recently expanded with the addition of the 41st Transportation Company that relocated from Grafenwoehr, Germany. The unit's arrival at Fort Polk strengthens the base's capabilities. Full article.
Chinn to become new Fort Polk Commanding General
Brig. Gen. Clarence K.K. Chinn will become Commanding General of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk. Chinn, who parachuted into combat twice with the Rangers, and deployed with the 75th Ranger Regiment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The date of the change of command has not yet been set. Full Article.
