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Published Wednesday, September 08, 2010 in Local
Coweta lawmen to head to Afghanistan
The Newnan Times-Herald
Coweta County will commemorate the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 by honoring public safety members who have served or now serve in the armed forces.
The program will be Friday beginning at 9 a.m. on the West Court Square, and everyone is welcome.
Meanwhile, two former Coweta County Sheriff's Office employees are now involved with the U.S. Marine Corps' Law Enforcement Program (LEP). Mike McGuffey and Mark Fenninger are preparing to deploy overseas to Afghanistan, according to Warren Driggers, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel involved with the LEP.
Fenninger is in his final training evaluation on the West Coast. He is expected to deploy in the fall for seven months. McGuffey is attached to a Marine infantry battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and is expected to deploy in the spring for seven months, according to Driggers.
The LEP program has been under way since 2007 and has "proven very successful in both Iraq and Afghanistan," according to Driggers. Once the pre-deployment training is completed, the LEP deploys as a member of the unit.
"The program basically brings in former experienced local and federal law enforcement officers to embed with deploying units to provide their law enforcement expertise to many of the problems the military finds itself facing in a counter-insurgency fight," said Driggers. "They share many of the same hardships and challenges and dangers that the Marines face on a daily basis while deployed."
McGuffey and Fenninger will be supporting fighting battalions that deal with the local populace on a daily basis. Driggers says the operations of the current insurgent is similar to that of a criminal gang or crime organization. The military calls this "criminal enterprise analytical experience."
"The law enforcement professional brings that viewpoint with him and helps the military better understand how to deal with these threats," said Driggers. "These people are there for the overall good. They're putting their lives on the line to protect and serve -- that applies to law enforcement and military, too."
"It was very hard to leave Newnan and a lot harder to leave the sheriff's office," said Fenninger in an e-mail correspondence with longtime Coweta-area public safety supporter Norma Haynes. "I do plan on being back in 2-5 years to bring what I have learned. I will work very hard to help the Marines put bad guys in jail."
Fenninger said he takes his job very seriously because the majority of his unit consists of men under the age of 20. He vowed to work hard to bring them all home safely.
"I'm able to do this job today because of the sheriff's office and your support," he said.
"These men have stepped up for their country and put their lives on the line to help Americans and Afghans," said Driggers. "They're bringing a skill set to the Army and Marines that's necessary in a counter-insurgency environment -- that makes them more effective at what they're doing. And it will allow more of them to come home because they do their job better."
"All of us here certainly appreciate the continued support provided by the local communities to our brave folks in the armed forces as well as those individuals who have stepped up to the plate to do their part in this fight."
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I would like to say Thank you and Godspeed to Lt.Mark Fenninger and Mr. McGuffey for your dedication to Coweta County and To our Country, even though I don't know Mr. McGuffey very well and only Met Mark recently at the 2010 Coweta Citizen's Sheriff's Academy. You both will be missed my thoughts and Prayers will be with both of you men and your Families and friend for a Safe and Speedy Return home.
Posted by Robert Strickland at 12:07 AM
I would like to say thank you and stay safe to Mike and Mark. I would also like to say that you and your families will be in our thoughts and prayers constantly. Stay safe!!
Posted by Tara Murphy at 2:30 PM
My sincere thanks go out to the Times Herald for the article you published about Mark Fenninger and Mike McGuffey. I worked with both of them at the sheriff's office and it was very hard to say goodbye to two such awesome deputies and coworkers but even harder to two friends.When you see the type of work they did you were proud to know them but when they made the decidsion to leave their homes and familes to serve our country that feeling increased to complete admiration. Our loss from the sheriff's office was this countries gain.
Posted by Kimberly Brooks at 2:18 AM
Thank you to Mark, Mike AND their families! What a hardship it must be on the wives (I know them both) to fill the roles of mother & father during a service such as this. I am proud of both of these guys and hope their families know that they can call on me anytime for anything!
Posted by Christie at 1:24 AM
Thank you both for your service to us all. Godspeed.
Posted by Army Dad at 9:35 PM
I recognize both names of these guys as (former) members of the Sheriff's Dept. I am impressed they are going to serve the U.S. in such a big way. Good luck & be safe.
Posted by Becki at 7:15 PM
Stay safe!
Posted by Barbara Wetherington at 6:27 PM
My son is at Lejeune - please take good care of him :o) Thank you both for your service both here in Coweta and overseas!
Posted by MeeMaw at 2:40 PM
Just want to say thanka to mIke and Mark and we appreviate these two men who are leaving to serve our country. You have serve Coweta with professionalism and we know you will do the same for our country. You, your families and Departement you are leaving are in our prayers and thoughts. Stay safe.
Posted by Terry Calhoun at 10:38 AM
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Mark Fenninger is MY brother and my hero
11/1/2010
Link To This Comment
I just wanted to say thank you for your article and I can not express how proud I am of Mark and to be able to say I am Mark Fenningers little brother. He and I came from a very rough early childhood, his worse than mine because he was raising and always protecting me. Because of his courage, he and I were later adopted into a wonderful loving family.I can tell you this...I would not be alive today if it were not for my big brother. He saved my life countless times. Mark has ALWAYS put himself LAST. From the time I was born and until we were adopted... if I ate,it was because he fed me. If I had anything else I needed...He gave it to me. He is hands down the most unselfish person I have ever known, I owe him everything. HE IS A TRUE HERO, and my hero for sure,just ask anyone that knows him well and almost all would say "I never even knew he had such a past", and that's because Mark has never had a chip on his shoulder about being a self made man, never had anything to prove to anyone and just wants to do what he loves."serve and protect".He will give his life to protect the innocent as well as for a complete stranger as long as they're doing what is right and trying to help themselves.He WILL bring himself and the other men in his care home safe.
If it can be done, he's the man to do it,have no doubt.
John Roberts
Posted by JOHN ROBERTS at 5:51 PM