Wednesday, Jul. 04, 2012

Post celebrates July 4th early

Thousands came to Fort Benning’s annual Independence Day celebration Saturday on York Field.

“(We) came out here to celebrate the Fourth,” said Krystal Hunter, sister of a Soldier from the 11th Engineer Battalion.

The most special thing about celebrating Independence Day was celebrating it with Soldiers, Hunter said. “They do something that I could never do,” she said. “They leave their Families, they go away — they miss a lot of things that their kids do that they never get to see. They are very special people.”

Master Sgt. Charles Ilaoa, an Armor senior NCO PCSing from Fort Irwin, Calif., to Fort Stewart, Ga., stopped by Fort Benning with his Family.

“I’ve see a lot of jumps, but I think this is one of the best ones I’ve ever seen,” he said about the Fort Benning Silver Wings parachute team.

Activities at the celebration included Ranger SPIES and FRIES, a concert by Natalie Stovall, bounce houses, face painting and food. The event culminated in fireworks with a performance by the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band.