Home
Ranger
Run
Open
House
Ranger
Training
Ranger
Business
History
Best
Ranger
Community
Facilities
Map
USMRA
Ranger
Training Brigade
Contact
5th RTB HQ
The Ranger Camp and the Ranger personnel and their families are an
integral part of Lumpkin County. Porter village, a military housing area
lies just West of the city of Dahlonega sharing many of the cultural
aspects of the surrounding area. The Ranger community regularly
participates in events within the community as well as sponsoring fund
raising events for local charities. Some of these activities are
described below.
Boys Scouts: Camp Frank D. Merrill
is host to Pack 36 in Lumpkin County. Pack meetings are held each month
in the gym at Camp Merrill. The pack Leader and several of the Den
Leaders are members of the Ranger camp. Pack 36 has over 70 boys in ten
Dens from Bobcats to WEBELOS. Standard activities associated with the
Boy Scouts are regularly conducted and include citizenship activities,
camping, meetings, skill badge earning and fundraisers.
Gold Rush: Annually, During the
annual October Gold Rush Festival in Dahlonega, Rangers provide a
display of Army equipment and weapons used during training at Camp Frank
D. Merrill. Weapons include: M16A2 rifles; M203 grenade launchers; M60
machine guns; M14 rifles; the AT4 anti-tank weapon; M18A1 claymore; and
various pyrotechnic signaling devices. Communication equipment, night
vision devices, and binoculars are also displayed. Ropes, litters and
knot display boards show the special equipment used during the mountain
training. Completing the display is the individual gear Rangers carry
with them in the field and a mannequin rigged with all of the equipment
for a parachute jump. Two US Army Ranger instructors are on hand to
answer questions.
Mountain Ranger Run: The Mountain
Ranger Run is conducted annually during Open House. This 15 kilometer
run is sponsored by the Rangers and attracts several hundred runners
each year. The run starts and ends at the Ranger camp and covers rolling
and mountainous terrain. Funds raised from the run benefit the American
Red Cross. (Contact C company representative at extension 500/507)
Parades and Ceremonies: Rangers from
Camp Frank D. Merrill regularly participate in various parades,
demonstrations, and ceremonies in Lumpkin County and the surrounding
communities. Hand-to-hand demonstrations; equipment and weapon displays,
and the color guard for holidays such as Veterans Day Ceremonies and the
Christmas Parade are just a few examples.
Search and Rescue: During the camp’s
long history, Rangers have assisted in numerous search and rescue
operations in the Chattahoochee National Forest. With extensive
knowledge of the surrounding area and unique training in mountaineering
rescue, Rangers have helped to save lives and helped locate lost hikers.
Camp assets, comprising men, vehicles, and occasionally aircraft have
assisted in these operations.
Camp facilities: Camp Frank D.
Merrill has a wide range of facilities for retired and active duty
military members. Some of these facilities include an award winning
commissary, Post Exchange, NCO club, pool, gymnasium, weight room, TLQ
rooms, and MWR equipment rental. With the camp’s close proximity to the
National Forest, camping, fishing, hiking trails, and canoeing are only
a short distance away.
Available to all Active Duty or Retired Military Personnel and Dependents
Billeting Information:
TLQ Reservations (706) 864-3327 ext 130 ask for the club manager
RV/Camping Sites nearby
Camp Facilities:
Dining Facility (Mess Hall)
Commissary
Post Exchange
Weight Romm
Sauna
Gymnasium
Racquetball Courts
Swimming Pool
The Overhang Club
Computer Lab
Museum
Barber Shop
Training Facilities:
Classroom
Firing Range
MWR:
Fishing Trips
Hiking, Running, and Mountain Biking (Only 3 miles from the Appalachian
Trail).
Canoes, Kayaks, and Fishing boats