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'Rocky' gets his 3rd ID patch
Fort Stewart bulldog mascot joins Marne Division ranks
Rocky - 3rd ID
The 3rd Infantry Division's new mascot, Rocky, is at ease during a patching ceremony Friday, May 9, at Club Stewart. (PAT DONAHUE/Coastal Courier)

One of the newest dog-faced soldiers will always look that way. 

He's almost 2 years old and his name is Rocky — and he has a 3rd Infantry Division to patch to sport. He's also an actual bulldog. 

The 3rd ID now has a living mascot, complete with a Marne Division patch, among its ranks. Rocky — and dozens of human soldiers new to the division — received their division patch, signifying they are now part of one of the Army's most historic, and called upon, units.

Soldiers new to the division, either fresh from initial entry training or being transferred in from another unit, go through in-processing. So did their new four-legged compadre.

"Rocky went through in-processing, just like every other soldier," said Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, 3rd ID spokesperson. "Every soldier goes through in-processing and they earn their Marne patch. It means they are officially welcomed into the ranks of the 3rd Infantry Division."

The American Kennel Club was on Fort Stewart last week and when they discovered there wasn't a living mascot, they helped the 3rd ID find a breeder willing to donate a mascot. The breeder also is a veteran. 

Rocky will have a physical fitness test too. Most of his duty day, Lt. Col. Tomko said, will be to inspire soldiers. He will attend ceremonies and spend time with other soldiers.

The 3rd Infantry Division's nickname of "Rock of the Marne" goes back to July 1918, when the division stopped a German advance along the Marne River. A German general bestowed the moniker on the division.

A 3rd ID commanding general began writing letters to Walt Disney about creating a mascot for the division. Disney himself drew the bulldog that became known as "Rocky."

While there are tales of the division previously having had living mascots, Maj. Gen. Norrie praised the one getting patched Friday afternoon. 

"If you've met him, he's got star quality," he said. "He's got a ton of charisma. He has been a picture of motivation. Some have questioned his height and weight. That bulldog is an engineering marvel."

Rocky - 3rd ID
Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commander, and division Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Reffeor, along with Rocky and other new 3rd ID soldiers, record a greeting. (PAT DONAHUE/Coastal Courier)

Rocky's birthday also is fitting; he was born July 4, 2023.

"He is very patriotic," Lt. Col. Tomko said, "and a true dog-faced soldier."

This division has a lineage going back 108 years. In July 1918, the 3rd Division stonewalled a German assault on the Marne River and earned the lasting distinction paid by a German general of the Rock of the Marne. They could not break this division. 

There have been 63 Medal of Honor winners who have worn that patch. That's the most of any unit of the U.S. Army. 

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EGRMC Chief Nursing officer receives DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award
Marie Burdett’s 35+ year career recognized
Photo Courtesy East Georgia Regional Medical Center East Georgia Regional Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Marie Burdett is shown after being honored with the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.
East Georgia Regional Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Marie Burdett is shown after being honored with the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award. (Photo Courtesy East Georgia Regional Medical Center)

East Georgia Regional Medical Center announced Wednesday that Chief Nursing Officer Marie Burdett, MSN, RN, CHSA, was awarded the prestigious DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating her 35+ year nursing career.

This milestone honor, the first of its kind presented at EGRMC, was delivered by CEO Stephen Pennington, who expressed deep appreciation for Burdett’s legacy.

“It was an honor to be part of this moment,” he said. “Recognizing Marie for the extraordinary contributions she has made throughout her career was a great experience, the first DAISY lifetime achievement award I have ever given in my career.”

Burdett has served as chief nursing officer at East Georgia since 2016. During her tenure, she has led the organization to improvements in patient care and staff retention, including:

• Reducing nurse turnover from 31% to 14%

• Earning a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade “A”

• Improving the hospital’s CMS Star Rating

• Leading the hospital to certification as an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and a Primary Stroke Center

In addition to leading all nursing departments, Burdett also oversees Rehabilitation Services, Wound Care and Cardiopulmonary and Sleep Medicine.

Shannon Farlow, director of Med-Surg and Telemetry, emphasized Burdett’s far-reaching impact.

“Marie doesn’t just lead from the top, she leads from within,” Farlow said. “Her presence is felt in every unit, and her commitment to excellence has shaped not only our nursing departments but also the supporting teams of rehab and cardiopulmonary. She sets high standards, but she lifts you up to meet them. This award couldn’t go to a more deserving leader.”

Burdett’s colleagues shared how they admire not only her professional accomplishments, but also her compassion and dedication to mentoring the next generation of nurse leaders.

Cheri Wagner, director of the Emergency Department, said:

“Marie is the kind of leader who never stops investing in others,” she said. “She believes in you even when you’re still learning to believe in yourself. Her mentorship has pushed so many of us to grow not only within our departments, but in our own personal leadership journeys. She models what it means to lead with integrity, vision and heart.”

Since joining EGRMC, Burdett has supported a culture of recognition by bringing the DAISY program to the hospital in 2017. Since then, 35 bedside nurses and 4 nurse leaders have been honored through the program.

 “It is such a huge honor to be recognized for the work that I have done over my career. I’m actually speechless, but it makes me very happy and gives me a sense of pride to see nurses at the bedside become experts in the care they provide or advance in their career, and to know that I had some positive influence over them,” she said.

Also, Burdett has also been honored for two consecutive years by Becker’s Healthcare as one of its “CNOs to Know,” a national recognition for nurse executives who demonstrate visionary leadership, tackle staffing challenges and champion professional development.

About the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award:

Presented by The DAISY Foundation, the award “honors nurses whose careers have left a lasting legacy on the profession. Honorees are recognized for promoting a positive image of nursing, mentoring others and significantly advancing patient care and the standards of nursing practice.”

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