From the A
s I write this column, we’ve just celebrated Father’s Day in our Seale home. My father, John Ven-
able, is a Korean War veteran and living my life with and near him has leſt me with a similar reverence for our flag and for the men and women who defend that flag in the various branches of military service. My folks still live in the home where I
grew up. It is on Britt David Road right across the road from the Columbus Met- ropolitan Airport. My brother, Eric, and all our friends spent untold numbers of hours playing either in the terminal buildings, in the control tower (where we had access— believe it or not—on almost every Saturday of our lives!) or in the clover fields in front of the terminal. My dad and our old Labra- dor retriever, Chipper, did a lot of walking in and around the airport. It was not unusual for my dad to see sol-
diers who were stranded at the airport. I’d look across the road and see Dad, Chipper and a couple of tired uniformed travelers making their way back to either dinner at our house or to get Dad’s car so he could ferry them out to Ft. Benning and save them the cab fare. I have seen Dad buy lunches and dinners
on the sly for parties of soldiers in restau- rants. He is, like a lot of soldiers I’ve known, tight-lipped about his own service and the horrors he saw. I have only been able to get him to talk about it on one occasion. It was a sobering moment. So, when I read stories like the ones in
this military issue, my sense of patriotism is stimulated. When I read stories like the one about my friend, Col. Ralph Puckett, it is all I can do to keep a stiff upper lip. “Te Ranger’s Ranger” is an awesome example of a fine military man. I’ve heard stories about how Col. Puckett sits in his vehicle at three o’clock in the morning on a black- dark road on Ft. Benning just to encourage the Rangers whom he knows are coming by in the middle of a forced march during the annual Best Ranger Competition. It is no wonder the young men and women who have the privilege of getting to know him revere him. I hope you enjoy reading this great mili-
tary issue and I’m sure you’ll support the local advertisers who spend their money getting their message in front of your eyes in each issue. Read on!
Mike Venable Editor
mike@columbusandthevalley.com jill@columbusandthevalley.com
EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS Mike Venable and Jill Tigner
callie@columbusandthevalley.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR Callie Sprague
judy@columbusandthevalley.com Beth Martin
ADVERTISING SALES Judy Fernandez
beth@columbusandthevalley.com Amy Ramsey, Sales Assistant
amy@columbusandthevalley.com GRAPHIC DESIGN
Sixty Two Graphic Studio
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Borden Black Hayley Blair
Marquette McKnight Dick McMichael Mandy Ochoa
Judith Sheppard Jill Tigner
Matt Whiddon Billy Winn
PHOTOGRAPHY Borden Black
______________________ P.O. Box 229 214A 10th Street
Mike Culpepper Mandy Ochoa Mike Venable Matt Whiddon
Columbus, GA 31902
706-324-6214 • fax 706-324-6216 ______________________
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