Tennessee may be the Volunteer State due to the number of enlistees during the War of 1812, but Georgia has the highest current enlistment rate, according to research report website WalletHub.com.
To help honor all those who have served, Fort Oglethorpe recently launched a veterans council.
“Many municipalities in the state of Georgia have veteran councils. It was a shame that a city as prosperous as Fort Oglethorpe should not be honoring the individuals who were the basis of this city’s formation: the military,” said City Councilwoman Paula Stinnett, who is spearheading the new initiative. “Even the founder of the Georgia colony, James Oglethorpe, for whom the city was named, was a military officer, even though it was the British military back then.
“More recently, in 1902 this area was the base for the 6th Cavalry. World War I and World War II found Fort Oglethorpe engaged as an active post to house German prisoners of war,” she continued. “Most people also fail to realize that this post was a major training center for the Women’s Army Corps during World War II.”
While the country looks forward to Veterans Day, the city has longer-range plans. With the unanimous approval of city council members, the veterans council is looking to dedicate a veterans park near Shelby and Clebern streets.