“It’s all about honoring soldiers,” retired Maj. Gen. Jerry White is fond of saying about the years he has spent bringing the National Infantry Mu-seum and Soldier Center to life. Soldiers, their families and Columbus leaders are quick to say: “Mission accomplished.”

A Long Time Coming
The National Infantry Museum was first established at Fort Benning to commemorate the long and distinguished efforts of the foot soldier. “They wanted to have an Infantry Museum because it is the oldest branch of the Armed services and has one of the longest and most illustrious histories of any of the fighting branches,” said museum Director Frank Hanner. “They have earned more Medals of Honor, more Distinguished Service Crosses and more Silver Stars than any other valor branch.” He explained that the museum teaches a history lesson not available in public schools since there is very little military history in text books.“We tend to forget our country was founded in war and it has been saved many times by soldiers willing to fight for our country.”

The first museum, opened in 1958, was supposed to be a temporary facility, but it remained in the original building for 18 years. In the ‘70s the old hospital building was designated as the new location for the museum. That structure was renovated at a cost of $1.5million and opened in 1977. By the ‘90s there was only room to display about 15 percent of the collection.

What began as an idea to construct a larger facility to house the Infantry’s more than 44,000 artifacts became a more encompassing effort to honor the soldier.

About 15 years ago, while still commanding Fort Benning, White had a dream. He felt that the nation had never sufficiently said “thank you” to the Infantry soldier, and he wanted to. “Since he (the Infantry soldier) has suffered 80 percent of the casualties in all wars and earned over 50 percent of the Medals of Honor, we should say ‘thank you’ and do it in a spectacular way,” White believes.

The retired general started fulfilling his dream while still in command by saving some old World War II buildings from the wrecking ball.

The project soon became a full-time effort with a National Infantry Foundation board, staff and consultants.

Now the $100 million, 150,000-square-foot National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center is in the final phases before a complete opening in June.

IMAX and Patriot Parade Field Now Open
“It’s been the most challenging thing I have done in my life, including my 35 years in the Army,” White said of the efforts to bring 234 years of Infantry history to life.

World War II Street was the first element to open. Seven buildings, used at Benning until the early ‘90s, recreate the Infantry soldier’s life during the largest military buildup in American history.

Next came the IMAX theater only the third such state-of-the-art immersive movie experience in the state. Movies are currently being shown in the 292-seat theater, which features a screen five stories high and 70 feet wide and sixchannel surround sound.

On March 19, about 140 young men became the first to graduate from basic training on the new Patriot Parade Field. The seven-acre field, with bleacher seats for 2,500, was built with $5 million appropriated by Congress.

During the inaugural ceremony, soil was spread from eight battlefields prominent in Infantry history. In addition, containers of that soil were placed in granite paving stones. Every week, each new soldier passing in review during graduation ceremonies will march across the sacred soil.

“You take one of those containers of soil and put it under a microscope and you’ll find the blood shed by those who fought there,” Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill, the senior enlisted leader for U.S. Central Command told the graduates during the first ceremony.

White added, “When these young men marched proudly past us, they were literally walking on the same soil where their forefathers fought and died. It is a tangible connection to the legacy they have joined.”

Inside the 150,000 square-foot building, the 2nd Infantry Regiment Gallery was also dedicated on March 19. The gallery on the mezzanine level was made possible by Harry Gray, the museum’s largest individual donor. In addition to serving as CEO of United Technologies, Gray earned a Silver Star during WWII.

On the same day, the gallery that tells the story of America’s role in stabilizing Korea was dedicated by visiting Korean dignitaries.

Still to Come
The entire museum was initially scheduled to open in March, but exhibit construction was delayed and White felt if opened before completion, visitors would be disappointed and the museum would not live up to expectations. As a result, the exhibits will not be unveiled until June 19.

When the doors are opened, visitors will be able to experience White’s vision as constructed by renowned exhibit developers Christopher Chadbourne and Associates. Brent Johnson says, the members of his firm became immersed in the project and soon developed a passion for it.

In order to get the proper feel for the Infantry exhibit, consultants were sent through several days of basic training under the guidance of the Drill Instructor of the Year. They trained with the Rangers and participated in rappelling, jumped from the towers and ate and slept with the soldiers. “We got a good sense of how the soldiers live, and it let me know how important the project was to Gen. White and the soldiers,” Johnson recalled.

It was as a result of their immersion that the team came up with the museum’s signature element. “The idea that Infantry boots on the ground owned that last 100 yards struck a chord,” Johnson explained. From that came the last 100 yards ramp.

The visitor experiences those last steps on the ground with the soldiers from the beginning of the Infantry. He first sees a diverse cross-section of soldiers with their artifacts standing at attention, and then the visitor hears the sounds of boots on the ground. He is directed up a gradually ascending ramp which depicts eight different significant battles in the history of the Infantry, starting with the Revolutionary War through the desert wars. At the crest is a 25-ton Bradley fighting vehicle used in the Gulf War.

At the top of the ramp, visitors enter the Fort Benning Gallery, the largest in terms of square footage. The question of how ordinary men do extraordinary things is answered by exhibits showing the training that soldiers undergo at Fort Benning. At this point the visitor is on the second level, and he proceeds down steps into the grand hall where there are several era-galleries depicting the Infantry from pre-Revolution to the War on Terrorism. These galleries feature experiences such as a World War I trench for visitors to walk through, and a glass-enclosed Vietnam jungle that puts
visitors face to face with the enemy.

A family support gallery is dedicated to the families of soldiers and depicts what happens when mom or dad goes away.

Content developers, researchers and historians have tried not to just show artifacts, but to use them to tell stories. “It’s much more immersive, not just a collection of weaponry,” Johnson promises.

Johnson said his firm has strived to make the National Infantry Museum the best military museum in the world.

White has no doubt that when former General and Secretary of State Colin Powell comes to dedicate the Museum in June, it will live up to everyone’s expectations.

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