Tagged: military

Nearly $8.4 million in federal funds has been set aside for the establishment of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu says the money will cover the construction of a main entrance, an administration building, a maintenance facility, roads and other infrastructure for the cemetery which will cover 21 acres.

The Marine Forces Reserve plans ceremonies on Monday to formally activate the Force Headquarters Group.

The ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. at the Marine Corps Support Facility in New Orleans.

Force Headquarters Group was formed July 18 and is commanded by Maj. Gen. Tracy Garrett. The organization handles administrative and operational command of six Marine Reserve units.

Garrett will be transferring command to Brig. Gen. Paul Lebidine.

The top officer in the Louisiana National Guard is now a major general, also called a two-star general.

Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis was "pinned" with his new rank in a ceremony Friday at the Governor's Mansion. Gov. Bobby Jindal and Curtis' wife, Jill Curtis, pinned the new insignia on Curtis' uniform.

Curtis officially became the Louisiana National Guard's 49th adjutant general in December, taking charge of all state National Guard operations and training. In Louisiana, the head of the National Guard is appointed by the governor.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. John Hogan was killed in action. But not recently, and not in Afghanistan. He was a young gunner on a bombing mission during World War II when his B-17 was shot down over Germany.

Now, 70 years later, Hogan will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Back in 1944, the small, tight-knit town of West Plains, Mo., was knocked to its knees when one of its brightest and most promising young men went missing overseas.