AC repair inWalthourville, GA

For three days, squads from across the 3rd Infantry Division put themselves to the tests, physical, mental and more, to earn the distinction of “Best Squad.”

The five-man squads were made up of two non-commissioned officers and three enlisted individuals. Each of the division’s brigade had a best squad to go up against the other brigades’ best squads, with the winner vying for the title Army- wide later this fall at Fort Stewart.

The competition was once the Best Soldier. But Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston expanded the competition to the squad level.

“When you get all the squad leaders who are good to go against each other, it creates a good competition and excellence builds excellence,” said Staff Sgt. Brandyn Vanderbilt of 3/67 Armor Battalion, whose squad represented 2nd Brigade. “Esprit de corps is very big and in how you work together as a team and how you operate as a team and how you conduct all these physical events together is very big.”

Among the three-day events squads had to tackle were a number of soldier skills and battle drills, an Army combat fitness test, land navigation, marksmanship and a ruck march, a six-and-ahalf mile jaunt with their gear strapped on.

The ruck march was Vanderbilt’s favorite event.

“It’s a mental battle the whole way,” he said. “If you push and stay together and push each other and motivate each other, it brings home that teamwork. Six and a half miles.”

Vanderbilt was asked before the competition’s close which squad he thought was best, and he said his own. The judges and evaluators agreed, naming the 3/67 Armor squad he led as the 3rd ID’s best squad.

Those squad leaders who go through the competition can bring something back to their units for other squad leaders to put into place, Vanderbilt said.

“Once they get back to the unit, they can teach all those tasks they learned out here and drive them home to the guys back there,” he said. “It makes our units better, makes our companies better. It’s huge, especially for other squad leaders who may be back at the unit who see other squad leaders operating at this level It drives home to them that everybody needs to be at their best to make the Army better.”

Vanderbilt and his squad will go up against Best Squads from across the Army in September.

Career Highs * 3 tackles vs. five teams (recent: Ohio State, 2022) * 1 sack vs. LSU, 2022 * 1 TFL vs. LSU, 2022 * 3 QB pressures vs. Tennessee, 2022

2023: Included on Senior Bowl Watch List. 2022: Played in all 15 games, starting 13...had 24 total stops and nine QB hurries on the season...had two solo tackles in win over Samford...credited with one stop in win over Kent State...had three tackles in win at Missouri...had one tackle and a QB hurry in win over Florida...two tackles and three QB hurries in win over Tennessee...had three tackles and a QB hurry in win at Mississippi State...first career QB sack in win over LSU in SEC Championship Game...credited three tackles and two QB hurries in win over Ohio State in the CFP Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl...had two tackles in win over TCU in CFP National Championship Game. 2021: Played in all 15 games and finished with 14 tackles...one of six players with a team-high three stops in win at Vanderbilt...credited with a pass breakup in win over South Carolina...had a second-quarter tackle and QB hurry in win at Auburn...two tackles and a pass breakup in win at Tennessee. 2020: Saw action in nine of 10 games...credited with a second-quarter tackle vs. Florida...named to both J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll and SEC Academic Honor Roll for Fall 2020. 2019: Saw his first collegiate action vs. Georgia Tech...co-winner of Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year, given at team’s post-season awards gala...enrolled at UGA in January and participated in bowl practices and Spring drills. Junior College: Hutchinson Community College, coached by Rion Rhoades...247Sports.com three-star JUCO prospect...Ranked #40 nationally, the #4 JUCO defensive tackle and the #13 JUCO prospect from the state of Georgia...ESPN.com three-star JUCO prospect, the #44 JUCO player overall, the #6 JUCO defensive tackle and a member of the ESPN JC50...Helped Hutchinson to a 9-3 overall record, capped off by a 35-6 victory over Navarro College in the Salt City Bowl...Registered 16 total tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in 10 games played for the Blue Dragons. High School: Liberty County, coached by Kirk Warner...ESPN.com three-star prospect, #54 defensive tackle nationally, #67 overall prospect in Georgia...247Sports.com three-star prospect, #48 defensive tackle nationally, #65 overall prospect in the state...Rivals.com three-star prospect, #37 defensive tackle nationally, #51 overall prospect in the state of Georgia...Named to the All-Region 2-3A First Team defense...Named the Liberty County Football Defensive Player of the Year by MaxPreps.com...Helped lead the Panthers to the 2016 and 2017 GHSA Class 3A semifinals his junior and senior seasons. Personal: Full name: TRAMEL DAMONTE WALTHOUR...major: Sport Management...recipient of the David Jacobs Football Scholarship and the Watkins Family Football Scholarship.

Tramel Walthour is a 6-foot-4, 277-pound defensive lineman from Liberty County High School in Hinesville. That’s the same school that produced Richard LeCounte III, who played in 10 games as a freshman safety this past season. Walthour is one of the lower-rated recruits in the Bulldogs’ 2018 class. He rates him as the 627th prospect in America, the No. 48 defensive tackle and the No. 65 player in Georgia, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He has the unusual distinction of being one of only two commitments for the Bulldogs heading into Signing Day.

Biggest competition

There is no competition for Walthour. Absolutely none. Even though he didn’t sign in the early period last December, Walthour insists he’s not interested in any other schools. He did not take official visits to any other schools and he has no backup plan other than Georgia should he not end up there for whatever reason. He was recruited by Auburn, Arkansas and Tennessee, among other schools.

Signing Day plan

Walthour will sign his letter of intent with the Bulldogs in a ceremony along with his teammates who are receiving college grants-in-aid on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. ET in the media center at Liberty County High School.

High school career

Walthour was an extremely productive defensive player for the Panthers. He finished with 233 tackles in his career, including 81 last season. He also had 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss for Liberty, which ended its season in the Class AAA quarterfinals. He played in the GACA North-South All-Star Game in Macon in December.

Bet you didn’t know

Walthour earned the nickname “Midnight Train” because he sent out the tweet announcing his commitment to Georgia at 12:55 a.m. on a Monday night on Sept. 18. He actually lives in Midway, Ga., about 27 miles away from Liberty County High. But he suspects he has some family history on the other side of Hinesville in the city of Walthourville.

How might the Bulldogs use him

Though he’s listed as a defensive tackle, most projections have Walthour playing defensive end in college. He’s considered somewhat undersized for a 1- or 3-techinique SEC tackle, and his hallmark in high school has been his agility and quickness off the ball. He’s currently operating under a nutrition and weightlifting plan to add weight and hopefully get to 300 pounds.

Editor's Note: This story came in after our Jan. 15, print edition had gone to press. It will be in our Jan. 22, print edition.

Standing-room only Monday night during Walthourville’s inauguration ceremony where the new mayor vowed transparency under his administration.

At least 200 Liberty County residents and officials gathered in Pleasant Grove AME Church’s multipurpose building with dozens more overflowing out the door.

The crowd came to see the city officially bring aboard its five council members and new mayor, Larry Baker. Walthourville had not had a new mayor since 2008.

Between all the greetings and after-ceremony photos, Mayor Baker took a moment to reflect on his new role and what it meant to see so many show up.

“That told me that the people wanted change,” Baker said. “I’m excited.”

Before becoming mayor, Baker served as a councilmember.

“My first election was in 1999, so I ran on the slogan Man for the Millennium. And now we’ve changed to another decade,” Baker said.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson was in the number Monday night and later personally congratulated the Walthourville mayor. Johnson called Baker “a good friend for years,” referencing their work together during Georgia Municipal Association events. Johnson said it was important for him to take the time to be present.

“What affects Savannah affects Walthourville and what happens in Walthourville, Liberty County affects us in Savannah,” he said.

Johnson added that he was confident in Baker’s leadership.

“He’s a fine man who really loves his city, willing to work hard. He’s shown that before when he worked on council and I think the citizens of Walthourville are blessed to have him,” Johnson said.

Public involvement was important to Mayor Baker.

“We want to make sure that every citizen is involved,” Baker said in an interview after the ceremony. “We want to invite everyone in from Day One.”

Baker’s inaugural address also emphasized transparency, accountability, and being “excellent stewards of the citizens’ dollars.” He announced plans for a new public online finance system, to be called the Walthourville Wallet. He also plans to have a new multi-purpose facility built for youth and senior citizens.

Baker told Monday’s crowd that he was eager for what’s ahead and that he was “humbled, honored, and grateful,” for the citizens’ vote of confidence.

“I stand on the shoulders of great mayors before me who have guided this great city,” Baker told Monday’s crowd.

Of those mayors included Baker’s grandfather, Rev. Henry Frasier, Sr.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I love Walthourville and I look forward to working with our esteemed council members,” he said. “I assure you, the city as a whole will be at the forefront of every decision that we make.”

Baker makes Walthourville’s fifth mayor since the city incorporated in 1974.

Monday night’s inauguration included council newcomers, Bridgette Kelly and Sarah B. Hayes. Veteran councilmembers James Hendry, Charlie L. Anderson, and Luciria Luckey Lovette were also installed.

Walthourville City Council already is getting two new members. Now, the city also will have a new mayor.

Sarah B. Hayes, who gave up her council seat to run for mayor, beat incumbent Larry Baker 213-175 in a runoff for the position. Hayes and Baker were the top two vote-getters in November’s general election, but neither secured a majority, leading to Tuesday’s runoff.

Hayes edged Baker 8278 in early voting, and she took 123 of the 210 votes cast on election day. In all, Hayes, who was second in the general election, received 54.9% of the votes.

“This means the city of Walthourville can rest a little easy because the citizens know they will have someone in there fighting for them,” Hayes said, “who’s transparent, who’s honest and who has the best interests of the citizens at hand. “This is not something for me. I did this strictly for the citizens and for Walthourville to be a better place than it is right now. We have a long way to go, but together, with the citizens and the council we have we can do this. We will do this.”

Baker finished with the most votes in the general election, getting 200 of the 510 votes cast. Hayes, who is mayor pro tem on the council, received 130 votes.

Hayes said she went back to the same doors she knocked on before and expressed to the residents why it was important for them to vote again.

“I reminded them this is not over yet. I also reminded them I need your help,” she said.

Meanwhile, the city faces a deficit of several hundred thousand dollars in its budget and there is the potential of a property tax being levied to make up the difference. When residents talked to Hayes about the potential property tax, she said they asked how did the city get to where a millage rate was a consideration.

“When Mayor (Daisy) Pray left, we had a surplus,” Hayes said. “When your bills outweigh your resources, you have a problem, and that’s what happened.”

Hayes also pledged to broaden public input into the council’s actions.

“We’re going to do things right and we’re going to do things where we are transparent and have the citizens know every step of what we’re doing and be involved in it,” she said. “The whole agenda is going to change. Citizen input is going back on there. If you don’t know what the citizens want and don’t want, you’re working in the dark. I want to bring back a city of ethics, a city of citizen involvement and a city of transparency.”

While the council returns Bridgette Kelly and Luciria Lovette, there also will be two new members — Patrick Underwood and Robert Dodd. Hayes said she hopes there are no hard feelings between her and Mayor Baker.

“We love our city and we need to work together to make it a better place,” she said.