Army

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More on the Arlington Goat Prank — The Navy has confirmed that Bill the Goat, the U.S. Naval Academy mascot, was the goat that was found tied up in a median at the intersection of Army Navy Drive and S. Eads Street, near the Pentagon, this past weekend. The goat was “recovered Saturday morning in good condition.” The Army-Navy football game is Dec. 8 and a Navy spokeswoman noted: “Bill the Goat has been a part of our 10-game winning streak against Army, so we are glad to have him back before the big game next week.” [Navy Times]

Arlington GOP Counts Accomplishments — Even though Republican candidates did not win a single race in Arlington, members of the Arlington County Republican Committee are tallying some small victories. “We kept Arlington moving toward more common-sense policies,” said Matt Wavro, this year’s GOP County Board candidate. [Sun Gazette]

‘Shark Tank’ Charity Pitch Event — Twenty entrepreneurs from around Virginia will have a chance to pitch their business startup ideas to panel of business leaders and investors in Arlington this morning. The Shark Tank-like pitch competition will help raise money for charity. The event is taking place at the Ballston offices of Arlington Economic Development, but tickets are no longer available. [Eventbrite]

Local Roads, Highways to Close for Army Ten Miler

By ARLnow.com

A number of local roads and highways in south Arlington will be closed Sunday morning for the running of the 28th annual Army Ten-Miler race.

The race starts and ends near the Pentagon but the course also takes participants into the District. More than 30,000 runners are expected to participate. Runners and spectators are being encouraged to take Metro to get to the race.

From an ACPD press release:

The Arlington County Police Department will close several streets near the Pentagon on Sunday, October 21, 2012, for the 28th Annual Army 10-Miler race. The race begins at 8:00 a.m. on Route 110, crosses the Potomac River into the District of Columbia, returns to the Commonwealth via the I-395 HOV lane and ends in the Pentagon north parking lot.

The following roads in Arlington will be impacted:

  • Route 110 between Rosslyn and Crystal City will be closed in both directions at 5:00 a.m. (motorists should use the George Washington Memorial Parkway as an alternative.)
  • I-395 HOV northbound from Crystal City to the 14th Street Bridge will be closed at 6:00 a.m.
  • S. Eads Street from Army Navy Drive into the Pentagon and northbound I-395 HOV lanes will be closed at 5:00 a.m.
  • I-395 southbound HOV exit to S. Eads Street and the Pentagon south parking lot will be closed at 5:00 a.m.

All of the roads should be reopened by noon.

In addition, access to the Pentagon north parking lot will be restricted to “Authorized Vehicles Only” from 4:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Parking for Pentagon employees and Pentagon Memorial patrons will be available in the south parking lot via Columbia Pike and S. Fern Street.

Runners, spectators and support personnel are encouraged to use Metro, as parking is limited. The Pentagon and Pentagon City stations on the Blue and Yellow Lines are located within walking distance of the start and finish lines.

Shirlington Road Closures for 9/11 Heroes Run

By ARLnow.com

The 9/11 Heroes Run Shirlington will shut down a number of roads in the area on Saturday (Sept. 29).

The 5K race is being held to benefit Travis Mills, an Army staff sergeant who lost all four limbs to an IED in Afghanistan earlier this year. Registration for the race — $35 for individuals — is still open.

The race will start at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of S. Randolph and S. Quincy Streets in Shirlington Village.

In order to facilitate the race, the Arlington County Police Department will be shutting down a number of streets from about 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Among them:

  • Westbound Four Mile Run Drive between Walter Reed Drive and George Mason Drive
  • Northbound Walter Reed Drive between Arlington Mill Drive and Four Mile Run Drive
  • Arlington Mill Drive between Walter Reed Drive and S. Quincy Street
  • All of the roads immediately surrounding Shirlington Village

Street parking will also be restricted in the area. Cars parked in areas marked as temporary ‘no parking’ will be ticketed or towed.

Amnesty International Speaker to Lead Guantanamo Discussion

By Katie Pyzyk

Although the term “gulag” typically evokes images of Soviet forced labor camps, a former member of the U.S. Army will be speaking in Arlington about how she believes the term could apply to an American entity — Guantanamo Bay.

The Amnesty International NOVA Cluster is hosting a discussion led by Lt. Col. Lorraine Barlett, titled “Guantanamo: An American Gulag.” Lt. Col. Barlett recently retired from the Army after 27 years of service with the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps., and served as counsel for a long-term prisoner incarcerated at Guantanamo.

Although closing Guantanamo was one of President Obama’s goals, the prison is still open and continues to fuel political disputes. Lt. Col. Barlett will speak on her views of the prison and its implications for U.S. and international law.

Those interested in attending the discussion should meet at the Central Library auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street) at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 10. Refreshments will be provided for attendees.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Could New Theater Become a Financial Drain? — As a condition of its site plan for a new nine-story office building on the site of the old Arlington Funeral Home in Virginia Square, developer Crimson Partners agreed to build a new $3.7 million black box theater inside the building, at the request of the county. But given the financial problems at Artisphere, some are questioning whether the theater will be a financial “black hole” for Arlington County. [Arlington Connection]

Army Celebrates Birthday — The U.S. Army is celebrating its 237th birthday today. On June 14, 1775, in the midst of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Army. To mark the occasion, Army Secretary John McHugh will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at 9:30 this morning. [Associated Press]

Mary Marshall Scholarship Recipients To Be Honored — The seven 2012 recipients of the county’s Mary Marshall Memorial Scholarships will be recognized at this Saturday’s County Board meeting. “These young people epitomize the civic spirit of Arlington — just as Mary Marshall did during her decades of service to our community,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said of the recipients. [Arlington County]

Cannon Firing Drills Scheduled for Next Week

By ARLnow.com

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, is planning to conduct two cannon firing drills next week.

The drills are scheduled to take place between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15 and Friday, Feb. 17. They will be conducted on the northern portion of Summerall Field on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, according to base spokesman Stephen Satkowski.

The drills involve firing blanks from the Presidential Salute Battery’s anti-tank guns. Nearby residents may hear the boom of cannon fire during the drills, as they did on several occasions last year.

Next week’s drills are being described as rehearsals in preparation for the Presidential Salute Battery’s participation in the Presidents’ Day ceremonies at Mount Vernon on Feb. 20. Residents may call the Old Guard’s public affairs office at 703-696-4183 for more information.

Fmr. Top Soldier Given Jail Time for Slugging Incident

By ARLnow.com

Gene C. McKinney, who served as Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army from 1995 to 1997, spent this past weekend in jail after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct and reckless driving, according to WTOP.

Last fall, McKinney was accused of hitting a man with his car along S. Eads Street in Pentagon City, following an argument. Police say the man, whom McKinney had picked up in a slug line, demanded to be let out of the car after McKinney started speeding and driving erratically on the highway. McKinney pulled off at Pentagon City and let the man out, but then struck him with his car, police said.

WTOP reports that an Arlington County Circuit Court judge sentenced McKinney to a year in prison on each charge, but suspended most of the sentence and credited McKinney for time served.

Did You Hear The Cannon Fire This Morning?

By ARLnow.com

The Army’s Presidential Salute Battery, which caused a stir earlier this year after their firing drills at Arlington National Cemetery woke up residents from Arlington to D.C., conducted another loud drill this morning.

“Why does it sound like there are bombs going off… in Clarendon?” asked Twitter user @StacMid around 7:45 this morning.

The reason was because the Battery was conducting a “blank fire crew drill” at the cemetery. Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall sent out an email advisory about the drill just after 5:30 last night. Arlington County notified residents just before 10:00 p.m., via Arlington Alerts.

Several Arlington residents said they could hear the anti-tank guns loud and clear this morning.

“Three sets of 11 booms. Sounds like howitzer fire,” tweeted @mikematyas.

“In Westover Village and I can hear the cannon (or gunfire or whatever),” said @ElizabethAFloyd. “Thought I’d be too far to hear but guess not!”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rush Hour Accident on the Pike — A two-car accident on Columbia Pike, between S. Scott Street and S. Rolfe Street, caused some minor delays during last night’s rush hour. One woman, whose car was rear-ended, was brought to the hospital for reported back pain.

Old Guard Horses Used For Soldier Therapy — Fort Myer’s Caisson Platoon, the horses that bring the caskets of fallen heroes to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery, are also being used to rehabilitate soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. [Examiner.com]

Arlington Defends Streetcar Project — In response to a Washington Post editorial that suggested the Columbia Pike/Crystal City streetcar project should be delayed, Arlington County has sent reporters a link to an explanation of why it’s planning to build the more than $140 million streetcar line. The county has also pushed back on the Post’s suggestion that streetcar funds could be redirected to add capacity to public schools — insisting that the funds come from a tax that can only be used for transportation projects. [Arlington County]

Centenarian Recalls Old Arlington — Martha Ann Miller, who turns 100 on Aug. 6, recounts the changes that have taken place in Arlington over the 74 years she has lived her. [Sun Gazette]

Army Fatigues Given Marching Orders at Pentagon

By ARLnow.com

You’ll be seeing fewer battle fatigues on the Metro later this year.

The Army — which will be celebrating its 236th birthday tomorrow — has just announced an impending policy change for personnel who work at the Pentagon. Starting as early as October, soldiers assigned to the Pentagon will be asked to wear the more formal Army service uniform instead of the camouflaged Army combat uniform (ACU).

“Our perspective is that this is the corporate part of the Army,” Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III told the Army News Service. “The business-part of the Army is done in the Pentagon, and as a professional there are certain standards of attire associated with certain activities. For the business aspect of the Army, it is the Army service uniform.”

The exact implementation date has yet to be announced.

Military photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Clifton

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

McDonnell Gets Seat on Metro Board — Gov. Bob McDonnell “scored a major unexpected victory” last night when the state legislature approved a bill that will allow the governor to appoint a representative to the Metro board. The seat will come at the expense of one seat allocated to Northern Virginia jurisdictions. County Board member and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission chairman Jay Fisette blasted the legislature’s decision, saying McDonnell had “circumvented the process.” [Washington Post]

Slug Passenger Says McKinney Was “Angry and Belligerent” — Former Sgt. Maj. of the Army Gene McKinney was in Arlington County District Court Tuesday, accused of intentionally hitting a slug commuter with his Mercedes back in October. The commuter testified that he asked to be let out of the vehicle after McKinney started driving 95 miles per hour on the highway. After being let off in Pentagon City, the commuter said McKinney hit him with his car. [WTOP]

Dems Announce at ACDC Meeting — Three Democrats announced their candidacy for state and local offices at last night’s Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting. Among those announcing were Walter Tejada, Barbara Favola and Rob Krupicka. [Blue Virginia]

Clarendon Car Dealer On CBS Undercover Report — A Clarendon used car dealership showed up on a CBS Early Show report about recalled cars. According to the report, the dealer did not tell the undercover reporter about a recall for a vehicle they picked out, even when the reporter specifically asked about recalls. [CBS News]

Flickr pool photo by Madame Meow

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