Fort Jackson & Columbia: A 100-Year Friendship

FORT JACKSON A 100-YEAR FRIENDSHIP

& COLUMBIA

WWW.THESTATE.COM

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

2D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

CAPITOL THANKS YOU FOR

YOUR SERVICE! NO GIMMICKS. JUST LOW PRICES AND MORE FOR YOUR TRADE!

TRUCKS & SUVS AVAILABLE TO CHOOSE FROM!

NEW HYUNDAIS AVAILABLE TO CHOOSE FROM!

2016 CHEVROLET

UNTIL NEXT SUMMER! NO PAYMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS ON 2017 ELANTRA AND 2016 SONATA MUST FINANCE WITH HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE.

$

15,000

UP TO

OFF MSRP STK#GG189690, MSRP $63,750, PLUS TAX, TAG, TITLE AND $225 CLOSING FEE.

FOR UP TO 5 YEARS! 0% ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE FOR 60 MONTHS AT $16.67 A MONTH FOR EACH $1,000 BORROWED WITH $0 DOWN. PLUS TAX, TAG AND TITLE. $225 CLOSING FEE.. FOR ALL OFFERS CUSTOMER MUST QUALITY FOR TIER A CREDIT THROUGH HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE.

UP TO 100 DOLLARS OFF.

I-20, EXIT 80 - UNDER THE GREAT AMERICAN FLAG - COLUMBIA, SC

CapitolChevrolet.net

CapitolHyundai.com

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

180 GREYSTONE BLVD. (1-26 ZOO EXIT) • COLUMBIA, SC 29210

803-779-7300 • www.galeanasc.com

3D

4D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

AirstreamSouthCarolina.com

SC’s Exclusive Airstream Touring Coach & Travel Trailer Dealership 800.779.2957

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

5D

6D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

.................................................

Contributors THE STATE MEDIA COMPANY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Sarah Johnson Borton publisher@thestate.com VP & EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mark E. Lett mlett@thestate.com VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Bernie Heller bheller@thestate.com

EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR Paul Osmundson (803) 771-8308 posmundson@thestate.com DESIGNER Elissa Macarin (803) 771-8471 emacarin@thestate.com DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO Matt Walsh (803) 771-8376 mwalsh@thestate.com WRITERS Jeff Wilkinson (803) 771-8495 jwilkinson@thestate.com Roddie Burris (803) 771-8398 rburris@thestate.com Tim Flach (803) 771-8483 tflach@thestate.com Lezlie Patterson online@thestate.com PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Dominick tdominick@thestate.com Tracy Glantz tglantz@thestate.com Gerry Melendez glmelendez@thestate.com Sean Rayford online@thestate.com

Fort Jackson, Midlands enjoy economic, family bonds

BY RODDIE BURRIS

rburris@thestate.com

Fort Jackson’s far-reaching impact on Columbia and its economy has been validated in everything from thwarting bigtime U.S. defense cuts to being a tool in promoting the Midlands as an ideal place to live and retire.

Fort Jackson – which is in the middle of a yearlong celebration of its centennial – pumps more than $2 billion a year into the Midlands economy, where it accounts for 17,000 jobs locally and nearly 20,000 jobs statewide, according to a USC study.

That makes the fort, the Army’s largest basic training center, a vital cog in the local economy.

It also is an important cog in the overall $15.7 billion economic impact the military exerts on the Palmetto State each year.

“One of the benefits of having a strong military presence in the state from an economic standpoint is it introduces new spend-

Basic Combat Training Museum archives

Some of the soldiers who trained at Fort Jackson during World War I.

ing activity to the state and to Columbia that wouldn’t exist otherwise,” said Joey Von Nessen, USC chief research economist.

USC’s Moore School of Busi-

ness produced a 2015 study on the economic impact of the military in South Carolina, which might be updated as soon as next month, Von Nessen said.

The economic impact from a

military base such as Fort Jackson is generated when the fort purchases goods and supplies from vendors and contractors across the state.

In this case, about 90 percent

. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Inside A Organizers

seek funding for a new Centennial Park at the former Fort Jackson headquarters. Page 13

A Several

of Fort Jackson’s commanding generals have returned – or stayed – in the Midlands. Page 22 A Businesses

A They

arrive as civilians but leave as Army soldiers – a look at basic training. Page 14

A Ten

key dates in the history of Fort Jackson. Page 18

and organizations throughout the Midlands benefit from the fort’s presence. Here’s a look at five of them. Page 24 A The fort does more than provide basic Army training. Learn about its other training missions. Page 26

ABOUT THIS SECTION: This section is being published on Veterans Day weekend to commemorate Fort Jackson’s Centennial year observance. Photos on the cover depict the relationship between the fort and the Midlands. Clockwise from the upper left, troops depart from Columbia Metropolitan Airport in October for their next round of training; soldiers participate in the Armed Forces Day parade on Main Street in 1968; students from Saluda River Academy sing in support of Fort Jackson at an event at Shandon Baptist Church in February 2015; Fort Jackson soldiers participate in a four-day HomeWorks project in the Midlands; the USC mens and womens basketball teams held “Gamecock Madness” at the fort in October to kick off practice for the 2016-17 season.

................................................. . ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

of purchased goods and supplies come from Columbia, making the fort’s major impact overwhelmingly local, Von Nessen said.

“These are federal dollars that are coming into our local community in Columbia. Those are being spent, those are creating jobs and incomes, not only for the active duty military and reserve, but also for civilians.”

Those federal dollars also create tax revenue for the state of South Carolina, Von Nessen said.

Nearly 100 years ago, when the country faced inevitable entry into World War I, the fort was established on 1,200 acres east of Columbia to train and prepare young men for combat.

According to historical accounts, Camp Jackson, as it was initially named, was transformed overnight into a huge military base where 8,000 young draftees arrived for training to go to battle in a war that drew in all the world’s great economic and military powers.

Just more than two decades later, more than 500,000 soldiers were trained for combat in World War II. Since then, soldiers have trained at the fort for every major U.S. conflict, including those in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. In between those wars, soldiers trained at Fort Jackson helped keep the peace.

A little more than two years ago, South Carolina’s top military, political and economic leaders pointed to Fort Jackson’s $2 billion economic impact on the local area in a largely successful attempt to dissaude Congress and the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission – commonly called BRAC – from eviscerating the state’s military installations.

Fort Jackson’s impact is not confined to Columbia, and it goes beyond economics.

The fort and Columbia have inextricable connections that span economic, civic, social and community relationships, according to former Columbia Mayor Bob Coble.

“The partnership between the

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

7D

.....................................................

About Fort Jackson With World War I raging in Europe, many Americans in 1916 believed the United States would soon be drawn into the fight. Many also saw that the country was unprepared for war.

Among the most pressing needs: training camps for soldiers.

GERRY MELENDEZ gmelendez@thestate.com

Katy Cannady joins in singing "Proud to be an American" during an event at Shandon Baptist Church in support of Fort Jackson.

The State file photo

Fort Jackson soldiers eat lunch at a Subway off of Forest Drive. The fort has a nearly $2 billion economic impact on the Midlands.

city and Fort Jackson goes back 100 years – to the creation of Fort Jackson,” said Coble, who served as mayor from 1990 to 2010.

“Two things always stood out to

me. One, the city fathers in 1916, 1917 realized the economic impact of Fort Jackson.

“The other thing is, we’ve always had a very close relationship

between the fort and the city that really has sustained us through BRAC. That’s one of the best assets we have – the city of Columbia loves the Army and loves them being here.”

In 2005, when the Army held its last round of base closures, Columbia’s solid, familial relationship with Fort Jackson was one of the biggest selling points put forward in dissuading the commission from making proposed drastic cuts to the fort’s local footprint, Coble said.

“Some communities don’t have that. It’s not as favorable. And I think that was one of our very strong selling points.”

So, the bond between Columbia and Fort Jackson has more practical aspects, Coble said. “It involves spouses finding jobs. It involves children going to school.

It involves feeling welcome in a community.

“All those things,” the fiveterm mayor said.

Columbia Chamber leaders thought their city would be ideal for such a camp. So they proposed to the Army that land formerly owned by the late Wade Hampton be selected for training. The chamber led a fundraising drive that quickly raised $59,000 to purchase the property east of Columbia from the Hampton estate, according to a history of Fort Jackson prepared for its 50th anniversary.

On May 19, 1917 – just a month after Congress declared war on Germany – Maj. Douglas MacArthur announced that one of the Army’s 16 new camps would be constructed near Columbia. “Columbia put up a good fight for the camp, and deserved to win,” The State newspaper reported.

In June of that year, a contract was awarded to Hardaway Contracting Co. of Columbus, Ga., to build the camp. During the next six months, Hardaway built 1,519 buildings at the camp, including theaters, stores, barracks, training facilities, stables and garages, according to the 50th anniversary history.

An airfield also was built, and railroad lines were laid. ....................................................

8D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

100 YEARS STRONG. CONGRATULATIONS, FT. JACKSON! We’re proud of our tradition of service to the Army at Ft. Jackson and around the world, with products and services designed specifically for servicemembers and their families.

When you’re a member of Navy Federal, you have the support of a financial institution that puts your needs first. Wherever you serve, we’ll help you meet your financial goals, today and in the years to come.

Visit us at our branch serving the Columbia area: East Forest Plaza, 5424 Forest Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, SC navyfederal.org 1.888.842.6328 Federally insured by NCUA. Image used for representational purposes only; does not imply government endorsement. © 2016 Navy Federal NFCU 10033 (10-16)

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

9D

10D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

MEDITERANEAN LIBYAN FOOD FROM BENGHAZI MAIN DISHES $6.99 COUS COUS Fluffy grains of semolina steamed over a bouillon of meat and vegetables served with an assortment of vegetables, chickpeas.

TAGINES Long Simmered stew seasoned with traditional blend of herbs vegetable and spices, cooked in the oven.

RICE EMBOWKHA Rice steamed over a vegetable and meat sauce, just the cous-cous.

MACARONI BECHAMEL Baked pasta with ground beef and béchamel sauce.

*FALAFEL PLATE A middle eastern dish consisting of 6 crispy balls formed from chickpeas, fava beans, parsley and other spices, served with pita bread, salad and tahini based sauce.

*VEGETABLE PLATE Three pieces of falafel together with hummus, babaganoush and cooked salad (tomatoes, onions, garlic, hot peppers, mediterranean spices, cooked and blended) served with a warm pita.

MACROONA EMBOWKA Angel haired pasta steamed over a bouillon of meat and vegetables served with an assortment of vegetables, chickpeas.

*SHAKSHOUKA Eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chill peppers, garlic and onions often spiced with cumin, with fresh bread.

STUFFED PEPPERS Green, red peppers stuffed with rice, herbs, and vegetables, cooked in oven.

KABSA Long grain rice mixed with chicken, vegetables, and a mixture of spices (cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves).

*KABOB (4 PIECES) *KOFTA (5 PIECES)

2630 Decker Boulevard 803-788-2100

SANDWICHES GYROS (SAY YEE-ROS!) Lamb, Chicken, Beef or Veggie ......... $6.49

GYRO, KOFTA OR KABOB OVER RICE................ $10.69

Severed: 6 days a week 11:00am - 10:00pm Closed Sunday

SHAKSHUKA SANDWICH 7”.......................................................... $5.96 12” ........................................................$7.96

KABOB............................................. $6.96 KOFTA BURGER ........................ $6.96 FALAFEL SANDWICH ............. $5.50 PHILLY CHEES STEAK & HOT SUBS

Our Lunch Menu Is Available At Anytime

7”.......................................................... $6.96 12” ....................................................... $8.96

SIDES BABGANOUSH TABOULI SPINACH & CHEESE BOREK HUMMUS VEGETABLE SAUCE *Available All Day, Every Day

$2.99 ONIONS & CHICKPEA SAUCE WRAPPED EGG PLANT BATA MBUTNA LIBYAN VEGETABLE CASSEROLE GRAPE LEAVES

Boeshreen

Full Dinner Available Thursday, Friday & Saturday Check out our Full Menu online @ www.boeshreen.com and YELP!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

WITH THE CARD ACCEPTED BY MORE HOSPITALS AND DOCTORS

SouthCarolinaBlues.com

11D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

CAUGHMAN-HARMAN FUNERAL HOMES AND CREMATORY is honored to assist those who have served our country in our Nation’s Military.

THANK YOU to the men and women of Fort Jackson.

To our country’s brave active military men and women, Landmark Resources LLC will waive the application fee.

Offer expires December 31, 2016.

Whether it is at time of need, or helping families with pre-arrangements, we pride ourselves in our various offerings and selections available to our families.

1516 Richland Street | Columbia, SC 29201 803.988.0097 | www.LandmarkResources.biz

We have three locations to conveniently serve our families.

Please call us at 803-359-6118 if we can assist you.

caughmanharmanfuneralhome.net

G

GE

TO

WELCOME

THER

FA MILI ES Blended Worship 10:00am | Modern Worship 11:30am Sunday School 8:45, 10:00 & 11:15am 5250 Forest Drive | Columbia, SC 29206 | (803) 782-1300

IN

12D

GR SERVING &

O

W

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

13D

Local organizers seek to build Centennial Park at Fort Jackson Supporters line up funding, in-kind services with hopes of June dedication

BY RODDIE BURRIS

rburris@thestate.com

Supporters leading the charge to build a 100th anniversary celebration park at Fort Jackson say they are lining up funding and in-kind service commitments with hopes for a dedication in June.

The Gateway to the Army Association projects it will need $3 million or more to complete the 3-acre Fort Jackson Centennial Park, to be built at the site previously occupied by the Post Headquarters.

The park, announced this summer, has received about $50,000 in donations so far, association officials said, with promises of another $150,000 of in-kind donations. Supporters are preparing to ratchet up solicitations from local city and county governments, large corporations across the state and the public. The city of Columbia has already agreed to contribute $300,000.

Founded in 1917, when the U.S. was gearing up for World War I, Fort Jackson has become the Army’s prime basic training center, turning out 50 percent of Army basic trainees along with 60 percent of the women who enter the Army annually.

“What the community has done so far shows what a great community this is,” said Bryan Hilferty, a U.S. Army Central Command retired colonel and Gateway association board member. When completed, the park will stand as a permanent testament of the community’s support for the base, a key component in the consideration of base closures, Hilferty noted.

Local governments are among the first major fundraising targets for the park project, officials said.

Association members plan to approach Richland and Lexington counties in their fundraising efforts, the town of Lexington, Forest Acres, Kershaw County and other local entities, according to retired Command Sgt. Maj. Marty Wells, who came up with the idea for a centennial park at the Fort.

“We just felt that Columbia leading the way (as a public donor) would serve as a signal to the rest of the legislative bodies,” said Wells, who spearheads the park project.

Corporate sponsors will also be key to the park’s success, Hilferty said. The group is seeking donations from large corporations in South Carolina as well as others related to the military.

More corporate sponsors are

TRACY GLANTZ tglantz@thestate.com

The Headquarters Building at Fort Jackson was torn down in 2016. The wood-frame building was built during WWII. Organizers hope to build a Centennial Park at the site.

THE PARK WILL INCLUDE A WALKWAY OF HEROES, AN AMPHITHEATER OVERLOOKING A 20-FOOT GRANITE SOLDIER’S STATUE OF MALE AND FEMALE DRILL SERGEANTS AND GAZEBOS, AMONG OTHER FEATURES.

Provided rendering

coming on board, including iHeartRadio, which has given the project more than $1 million in free publicity, Hilferty said, including seven on-air spots a day on each of its six local-area broadcast stations over a sixmonth period, and The State newspaper.

Other corporate sponsors include USAA, and Wells Fargo and AllSouth financial institutions, he said.

The public can contribute by purchasing pavers, being sold for $200 each, Hilferty said, or by making donations directly at gatewaytothearmy.org. Contributions can be mailed to Gateway to the Army Association, 4611 Hardscrabble Road, Suite 172, Columbia, S.C. 29229.

The association has also been

working with the post to gain more convenient public access to the park once it is completed, Wells said.

The site is in the early preparation stages for construction of the park, Hilferty said. Park architect Ron Clamp, who designed the 9/11 memorial in Columbia, has visited the site with potential contractors, many of whom are also expected to provide work on an in-kind, or pro bono basis, or at the very least, at reduced rates, Hilferty said.

The park will be built in three phases, which will help facilitate fundraising, fort officials said.

The park will include a Walkway of Heroes, an amphitheater overlooking a 20-foot granite Soldier’s Statue of male and female drill sergeants and gazebos, among other features.

The Fort Jackson centennial year culminates next year with the Army Ball on June 10. Association officials are pushing for a park dedication of the first phase on June 3, Wells said, but completion of the park will depend upon fundraising.

14D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

TIM DOMINICK tdominick@thestate.com

Fort Jackson recruits meet their drill sergeants for the first time during the initial Red Phase of training.

Up to 50,000 recruits train at fort each year GERRY MELENDEZ gmelendez@thestate.com

Prior to the start of basic training, recruits gather at the reception center at Fort Jackson.

They arrive from all over the United States and from other countries. Most are teenagers or young twentysomethings. Some have prepared extensively for Basic Combat Military Training – “Boot Camp” – while others are almost completely naive about what’s ahead.

Ten weeks later, most emerge

as America’s youngest soldiers.

They have endured screaming, intimidating drill sergeants; conquered Victory Tower; run for miles; and completed thousands of pushups. They have learned how to toss grenades and fire rifles. Most importantly, they’ve learned how to operate as a fighting unit.

Fort Jackson is the Army’s largest basic training base, welcoming up to 50,000 recruits every year. The fort began that mission nearly 100 years ago as America prepared to enter World War I. The base has trained soldiers to fight in all of the nation’s military conflicts since then.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

15D

TIM DOMINICK tdominick@thestate.com

The recruits line up to experience the gas chamber as they are drilled on how to use a gas mask. Once inside, they will remove the mask and experience a nontoxic, but irritating, gas.

The soldiers have also kept the peace.

At a basic training graduation ceremony at the fort in 2007, President George W. Bush spoke about the fort’s history. “Over the last century, Fort Jackson has prepared countless young Americans to defend our country,” Bush said.

“Soldiers marched from these fields to battle fascists, and dictators, and terrorists. Those soldiers brought freedom to millions of people they never knew. Because of their efforts, America is stronger, America is safer, and America is free.”

Similar graduation ceremonies are held nearly every Thursday at the fort’s Hilton Field. Each week, the new soldiers join the team of Army soldiers prepared to defend their country against all enemies.

— JEFF WILKINSON

TRACY GLANTZ tglantz@thestate.com

Jamie Udet, Devon Clarkson and Allicia Wiggs help Xavier Ruffin up the Skyscraper obstacle during the confidence course.

SEAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

Recruit Torie Bias leaves the bunker after throwing a live grenade during training at Fort Jackson in August.

FORT JACKSON HAS TRAINED SOLDIERS TO FIGHT IN ALL OF THE NATION’S MILITARY CONFLICTS SINCE WORLD WAR I. THE SOLDIERS HAVE ALSO KEPT THE PEACE.

SEAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

Jamie Udet digs a foxhole during the Victory Forge training exercise.

Victory Forge is the culminating exercise where recruits spend four days and three nights putting their skills to test with little time to rest.

16D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

Tradition, Training, Transformation & Teamwork

For 100 years, Fort Jackson has supported our nation and communities throughout the Midlands. We salute your service and sacrifices, and celebrate your legacy of training the best soldiers in the world.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

Thank You Fort Jackson for 100 years of service and commitment to our troops!

www.sefl.com

17D

18D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

10 KEY DATES IN THE MAY 19, 1917 Maj. Douglas McArthur announces that Columbia has been chosen for one of 16 new Army bases. By Christmas that year, Hardaway Contracting Co. of Columbus, Ga., builds 1,519 buildings at the fort, including theaters, stores, kitchens, barracks and an airfield.

Associated Press

Winston Churchill, Britain’s prime minister, inspects parachutists while visiting Fort Jackson.

JUNE 24, 1942 Basic Combat Training Museum Archives

The first draftees begin arriving in September 1917.

SEPT. 5, 1917

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visits and is quickly impressed with America’s soldiers. “They’re just like money in the bank,” he said.

First draftees arrive at Camp Jackson.

AUG. 14, 1945

MARCH 31, 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt visits Fort Jackson while traveling from Washington to Florida.

Associated Press

President Franklin D. Roosevelt reviewing troops at Fort Jackson.

Japan surrenders, ending World War II. An estimated 500,000 American soldiers were trained at Fort Jackson during World War II. The commander of Fort Jackson, Gen. Duncan Richert, says: “Americans have won the war; they should win the peace of coming generations.”

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

19D

HISTORY OF FORT JACKSON SEPTEMBER 1950

JANUARY 2010

Fort Jackson becomes one of the Army’s first bases to integrate its training, following President Harry Truman’s executive order two years earlier that the U.S. armed services become desegregated.

Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center opens.

SEAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

TRACY GLANTZ tglantz@thestate.com

Sgt. 1st Class Braden Meyer, right, rehearses graduation ceremonies with soldiers at the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson in September.

Devon Clarkson helps Jamie Bowen up a wall during basic training at Fort Jackson in August.

MAY 19, 1976 Fort Jackson soldiers begin wearing a new insignia designed exclusively for the fort. It is the first training base to have its own insignia. The current design displays a replica of the statue of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson.

From left, Pvt. Autumn Ladines, Spc. Rebecca Hill and Pfc. Kristan Beard learn urban assault tactics on Fort Jackson.

OCT. 14, 1994 Women are fully integrated into Army basic combat training units.

The State file photo

GERRY MELENDEZ gmelendez@thestate.com

A graduating class at the U.S. Army’s Drill Sergeant Academy participates in an early morning rite of passage ceremony.

FEB. 23, 2011 U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy opens. The school consolidated previous drill sergeant schools at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort Benning, Ga.; and Fort Jackson.

Source: Fort Jackson Basic Combat Training Museum

20D

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

HAPPY 100th FORT JACKSON 70 Years Supporting the Midlands Military Community

Visit us at our new address.

463 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia (1 block from the Gervais St. Bridge)

252-1350 TUESDAY-SATURDAY 9AM-6PM

Webster University Columbia would like to thank the men and women of Fort Jackson for their service throughout the Midlands for the past 100 years.

webster.edu/columbia

21D

22D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

Some commanding generals settle in Midlands after service

BY TIM FLACH

tflach@thestate.com

Several former commanding generals at Fort Jackson either return to the Midlands or stay here after their military careers are over, becoming civilians active in civic causes and championing the fort’s training mission.

Their leadership skills and public service experience make them “tremendous assets for our community,” former Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said.

For some former commanders, retiring here was a good fit personally.

Retired Maj. Gen. Steve Siegfried decided quickly after taking charge at the fort in the early 1990s that the Midlands offered the lifestyle he wanted when his career ended. Siegfried was commanding general from December 1991 until March 1994.

The attractions included moderate winters, proximity to beaches and mountains, University of South Carolina games within the Southeastern Conference, and access to military health care, he said. So he purchased a site on Lake Murray in the Chapin area that had been a vacation getaway.

“It’s an absolute blessing to be here,” said Siegfried, 78.

He stays busy as a lay Episcopal minister, distributing bread at a food pantry, and helping to lead the Honor Flight group’s efforts to transport retired veterans to monuments to Washington.

With his wife, Maggie, he spearheaded the creation of a garden at Chapin Town Hall that is an oasis for parents who, like them, are coping with the death of a child.

Those roles developed after he served as state homeland security director in the early 2000s.

Siegfried’s civic service follows the footsteps of former commanders Robert Solomon and John Renner, who were

The State file photo

Maggie and Steve Siegfried visit the memorial garden they founded outside of Chapin Town Hall for parents who have lost a child.

"It's a true blessing to know this is here for all the parents who have lost a child," Maggie Siegfried said.

active leading and raising money for a variety of local organizations until their deaths.

Solomon and Renner are among a handful of former commanders to have facilities at the fort named for them.

For others, retiring here combines a new job with a return to family.

Former Maj. Gen. Abraham Turner is a leadership consultant for businesses and

organizations as well as a mentor for youngsters. He developed those roles after leading the state’s Department of Employment and Workforce.

The Midlands is a short drive to his Lowcountry birthplace, allowing him to visit his 92-year-old mother and sail regularly. “I always had a yearning to come back,” said Turner, 61.

Neither Siegfried nor Turner dreamed

of being in charge at a fort at which they both had trained.

Siegfried took leadership courses there a decade before taking command, while Turner was there as an ROTC cadet while a student at then-South Carolina State College in Orangeburg in the 1970s.

The two also salute the Midlands’ enduring appreciation for the military.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

23D

. ..................................................................................................................................................................

Fort Jackson Generals

TIM DOMINICK

Brig. Gen. Abraham Turner with Ray Dines and his son, Raymond, in April 2004. Turner was Fort Jackson’s commanding general from January 2004 until July 2005.

The State photo archives

Maj. Gen. John Van Alstyne was commanding general at the fort from July 1997 until October 1999.

Siegfried describes the support as “steady as a rock.” Both remain advocates for the fort.

They take part in periodic briefings on conditions with their successors, offering advice when asked and supporting efforts to prevent reduction in its services.

“We still represent Fort Jackson,” said Turner, who was its commander for 18

The State file photo

Gen. Robert B. Solomon was commanding general at Fort Jackson from July 1984 until May 1987.

month ending in mid-2005. “Once you’re in the family, you’re always part of it.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Brig. Gen. Charles H. Barth Maj. Gen. Charles J. Bailey Brig. Gen. Francis H. French Brig. Gen. Robert M. Danford Brig. Gen. W. E. Cole Maj. Gen. George Windle Read Maj. Gen. John Leonard Hines Brig. Gen. Phillip Peyton, 8th DIV Maj. Gen. Henry D. Russell, 30th DIV Brig. Gen. Royden E. Beebe Brig. Gen. Duncan G. Richart Maj. Gen. Clarence A. Martin Maj. Gen. John H. Church Lt. Gen. William B. Kean Maj. Gen. George H. Decker Brig. Gen. Frank C. McConnell Maj. Gen. Harry J. Collins Maj. Gen. Whitfield P. Shepard Maj. Gen. John A. Dabney Maj. Gen. Riley F. Ennis Jr. Maj. Gen. Frank S. Bowen Maj. Gen. N. A. Costello Maj. Gen. Christian H. Clarke Jr. Maj. Gen. H. D. Ives Maj. Gen. Charles S. D'Orsa Maj. Gen. Gines Perez Maj. Gen. James F. Hollingsworth Maj. Gen. William S. Coleman Maj. Gen. Robert C. Hixon Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell III Maj. Gen. Richard L. Prillaman Maj. Gen. John B. Blount Maj. Gen. Lucien E. Bolduc Jr. Maj. Gen. Albert B. Akers Maj. Gen. Robert B. Solomon Maj. Gen. George M. Krausz Maj. Gen. John A. Renner Maj. Gen. Richard S. Siegfried Maj. Gen. William J. Bolt Maj. Gen. John Van Alstyne Brig. Gen. Raymond Barrett Jr. Brig. Gen. David Barno Brig. Gen. Abraham Turner Brig. Gen. James H. Schwitters Brig. Gen. Bradley W. May Maj. Gen. James M. Milano Brig. Gen. Bryan T. Roberts Brig. Gen. Bradley Becker Maj. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier Maj. Gen. John “Pete” Johnson

Aug. 25 - Oct. 8, 1917 Oct. 8, 1917 - May 18, 1918 May 21 - Aug. 30, 1918 Aug. 31, 1918 - Dec. 17, 1918 Jan. 7, 1919 - April 5, 1919 May 1, 1919 - Aug. 31, 1920 Oct. 20, 1920 - July 9, 1921 July 9, 1940 - Nov. 7, 1940 Nov. 8, 1940 - May 27, 1941 June 8, 1941 - Aug. 7, 1943 Sept. 28, 1943 - Jan. 20, 1946 Jan. 24, 1946 - May 1946 Jan 1, 1947 - Oct. 2, 1947 Oct. 2, 1947 - July 7, 1948 July 7, 1948 - Feb. 28, 1950 April 18, 1950 - Jan. 22, 1951 Jan. 22, 1951 - Jan. 30, 1952 Jan. 31, 1952 - Jan. 30, 1953 Jan. 30, 1953 - Feb. 24, 1954 Feb. 24, 1954 - Sept. 8, 1955 Sept. 8, 1955 - Aug. 25, 1956 Sept. 21, 1956 - May 30, 1958 June 11, 1958 - June 28, 1960 Aug. 15, 1960 - Dec. 5, 1961 Dec. 18, 1961 - May 6, 1964 June 13, 1964 - Dec. 31, 1968 Jan. 1, 1969 - July 15, 1970 July 15, 1970 - June 2, 1972 July 31, 1972 - June 26, 1974 June 26, 1974 - July 21, 1976 July 21, 1976 - July 15, 1977 July 15, 1977 - June 22, 1979 June 22, 1979 - Aug. 31, 1981 Aug. 31, 1981 - June 29, 1984 July 6, 1984 - May 22, 1987 June 23, 1987 - July 28, 1989 Aug. 4, 1989 - Dec. 10, 1991 Dec. 10, 1991 - March 22, 1994 Mar 22, 1994 - July 11, 1997 July 11, 1997 - Oct. 25, 1999 Oct. 25, 1999 - Sept. 14, 2001 Sept. 14, 2001 - Nov. 21, 2003 Jan. 9, 2004 - July 19, 2005 July 19, 2005 - July 24, 2008 July 24, 2008 - June 16, 2010 June 16, 2010 - April 10, 2012 April 10, 2012 - July 11, 2013 Aug. 27, 2013 - May 29, 2015 May 29, 2015 - June 24, 2016 June 24, 2016 - Present

Source: Basic Combat Training Museum, Fort Jackson Note: The list does not include any acting or interim commanders or any commander who served less than a month. The list also does not include commanding generals between 1921 and 1940, when the fort was under state control. ...................................................................................................................................................................

24D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

5 businesses, organizations that benefit from the fort

BY LEZLIE PATTERSON

Special to The State

Fort Jackson might take up more than 52,000 acres of Columbia area real estate, but its impact on local businesses sweeps way beyond that. Fort Jackson’s presence has benefited businesses, schools, civic organizations and others for 100 years. Here are five of them: GOLDEN CORRAL Folks who go to the Golden Corral on Forest Drive are used to seeing Fort Jackson soldiers in uniform among the daily lunch crowd. Especially on graduation days.

After Fort Jackson’s Thursday graduations, Golden Corral, which is just a few hundred yards from the fort’s main gate, is full of new soldiers and proud families. “We staff it like it’s a Sunday afternoon,” says Golden Corral general manager Steven Shova, who has estimated the fort makes up about 30 percent of the restaurant’s business.

After graduations, the restaurant makes announcements every 30 minutes congratulating the new graduates that are greeted with cheers. “It’s a great day for these young folks,” Shova says. “Their families are very proud.”

The soldiers who patronize the restaurant are a privilege to serve, Shova says. Golden Corral offers a military discount, and feeds all veterans free from 4 p.m.-9 p.m. on the Monday after Veterans Day each year.

GERRY MELENDEZ gmelendez@thestate.com

Wayne Yuris, a volunteer with USO, guides Fort Jackson soldiers to the airline check-in area at Columbia Metropolitan Airport lin October.

The airport says 20 percent of its traffic is related to Fort Jackson.

COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN AIRPORT Folks around Columbia Metropolitan Airport are used to seeing soldiers coming and going. Recruits fly in for basic training. Soldiers fly out for other assignments. And in between, families, girlfriends and boyfriends fly in for visits and graduations.

“About 20 percent of our

business is military or militaryrelated,” says Dan Mann, executive director of Columbia Metropolitan Airport. “That 20 percent is the difference between having nine nonstop cities and 35-40 aircraft a day.

It’s a stable source of income for the airport. Having Fort Jackson here helps us get better air service, which is good for the whole community.”

The United Service Organizations Inc., or USO, has an office at Columbia’s airport. The USO is a nonprofit organization that provides programs and services to United States service members and their families.

Lynne Douglas, customer service manager at the airport, works beside the USO. “It’s just amazing how they interact with the military families and sol-

diers,” Douglas says. “There are all kinds of stories. For example, sometimes soldiers will leave things, like graduation photos.

The airport will mail them to them.”

The airport, she says, “takes great pride in being a part of that every day!”

Mann relates to the young recruits he sees fly into Columbia and board the bus headed to

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

25D

The training they acquire gives them different skill sets … they’re diligent about what they do.”

TRACY GLANTZ tglantz@thestate.com

Soldiers in basic training swarm to the concession stands during a outing at Spirit Communications Park in August.

Fort Jackson. “The first time I flew, I was 17 years old and heading to Air Force basic training,” he says.

When he sees soldiers flying out of Columbia after spending 10 weeks at Fort Jackson, he notices a different look on their faces, a different bearing. “It’s really amazing seeing the difference,” Mann says. “There is a different level of maturity.”

CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY Claflin University, based in Orangeburg, is one of four colleges in Fort Jackson’s on-base continuing education center.

“Many of the active-duty soldiers and their families take advantage of our program,” says Cindye Richburg Cotton, executive director of Claflin’s Center for Professional and Continuing Studies. “The base has been very beneficial to our universi-

The State file photo

Thursdays are busy at the Forest Drive Golden Corral because of the weekly basic training graduations at Fort Jackson.

ty.”

Claflin’s partnership with Fort Jackson has afforded the university the opportunity to bring another community to the

school, says Mark Roberts, director of Claflin’s Fort Jackson campus. “We can proudly say we’re in Columbia on Fort Jackson,” Roberts says. “It’s an

opportunity where there is no downside.”

Claflin offers two degree programs at the fort: criminal justice and organizational management.

Claflin understands the challenges military personnel face, such as deployment and transfers, and works with the Fort Jackson students to make sure they can continue to pursue their degrees. Claflin is a “military friendly” yellow ribbon school.

“We have a strong partnership with Fort Jackson,” Richburg Cotton says. “We’re excited, and feel privileged, to be able to serve this population.”

Soldiers make good students, she says. “They bring a different perspective to the classroom,” Richburg Cotton says. “A lot of them have had different experiences, have traveled extensively. And they’re evolving leaders.

COLUMBIA FIREFLIES Fort Jackson has a presence at every Columbia Fireflies home game.

Aside from the soldiers who regularly come to watch the New York Mets’ minor league team play at Spirit Communications Park, the National Anthem is introduced by a representative from Fort Jackson each night on the videoboard.

“A reminder to all of us that our military has and will continue to put their lives on the line to defend our freedom,” Fireflies team president John Katz says.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be the home team for the U.S. Army’s largest and most active basic training installation,” Katz says. “The Fireflies take great pride in honoring the brave men and women that serve, have served or will serve our great nation each and every night at the ballpark,” Katz says. “Having soldiers, veterans and their families at the park each night is both energizing and humbling.”

AMERICAN RED CROSS The Red Cross has an office on Fort Jackson, which is staffed by the military.

Fort Jackson has blood drives nearly weekly, which produce about 1,200 units of blood a year. But the fort’s relationship with the Red Cross goes well beyond that.

Fort Jackson active duty soldiers help the local Red Cross in several ways, including helping install smoke detectors, staffing a dental assistant training program for Red Cross volunteers on base and working as advisers.

“We definitely value our partnership with military members,” says Nancy Cataldo, Service to the Armed Forces and International services director for Palmetto South Carolina Region for the Red Cross. “We’ve worked with the military for 135 years.”

26D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

The many missions of Fort Jackson

EAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

Drill Sergeant Academy trainees stand in formation at 6 a.m. at Fort Jackson.

Soon to be chaplain assistants sing during a graduation rehearsal on Fort Jackson in September.

SEAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

Fort Jackson is primarily known as the Army’s largest basic training base, churning out up to 50,000 new soldiers each year.

But that’s just one of many missions at the sprawling post.

In fact, 18 other training centers or groups are housed there.

They include the Army’s only Drill Sergeant Academy and the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center. Other missions include the Soldier Support Institute, which trains all of the Army’s finance and human resources professionals, and the National Center

for Credibility Assessment, where soldiers learn how to conduct polygraph tests.

On the eastern edge of the post is Camp McCrady, owned and operated by the South Carolina Army National Guard. The camp also is used to train Navy sailors, mostly medical personnel and military police, who are going into combat zones in the Middle East and Afghanistan. The sailors, who augment Army troops on the ground, are taught basics such as firing an automatic weapon and manning a convoy.

While not all of the missions

at Fort Jackson involve training – the headquarters for all of the Army Reserve troops in the Southeast is housed there, for example – it’s no coincidence that most of the missions have a focus on training.

Army leaders “try to find places that are a good fit for whatever entity they want to find a home for,” Fort Jackson spokesman Pat Jones said. “Fort Jackson is a cost-effective area, there is space for other missions and it’s in a training environment.”

— JEFF WILKINSON

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

27D

.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Missions at Fort Jackson A U.S.

Army Training Center (2 basic training brigades, 165th Infantry Brigade, 193rd Infantry Brigade) A Basic

Combat Training (10 battalions) A McCrady

Army National Guard Training Center A Wheeled

Vehicle Mechanic

School A Task

Force Marshall (Navy sailors training for ground combat) A U.S.

Army Student Detachment A Soldier

Support Institute

A Adjutant

General School

A Financial

Management

School A Non-Commissioned

Officer

Academy A Training TRACY GLANTZ tglantz@thestate.com

Volunteers prepared Fort Jackson National Cemetery for Memorial Day 2014 by placing American flags on nearly 2,800 headstones at the cemetery. Here Phillip G. .Collins places flags at some of the headstones.

support battalion

A 369th

Adjutant General Battalion A Inter-Service

Postal

Training A Armed

Forces Chaplaincy

Center A National

Center for Credibility Assessment (polygraph institute) A Drill

Sergeant Academy

A Leader

Training Brigade (master fitness training, master resiliency training, pre-command course) A 81st

Regional Support Command (Army reserve) A Naval

TIM DOMINICK tdominick@thestate.com

Navy sailors learn convoy procedures as well as methods for treating injured civilians during training at Fort Jackson’s Camp McCrady, home to Task Force Marshall. The sailors come from bases all over the world to train.

AP file photo

Dr. Dean Pollina, right, demonstrates a thermal imaging camera, used to detect changes in temperature of a subject’s face in April 2007. Fort Jackson houses the National Center for Credibility Assessment.

Reserve Center

A Military

Entrance Processing Station A Columbia

Recruiting

Battalion ...........................................................

28D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

100 SEAN RAYFORD online@thestate.com

Soldiers shout during a Rite of Passage ceremony at Fort Jackson on Sept. 3.

THE SOLDIER’S CREED I am an American Soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

Visit www.CharlesManleyHomes.com To Find Your New Home

Charles Manley Army Veteran and Realtor

Wishing Fort Jackson a Happy 100th Anniversary!

Everything we make is homemade to Perfection!

Cinnamon Glazed Apple Pancake Delicate Golden Dutch Baby Fresh Squeezed Juices Golden Brown Waffles Fluffy Oven Baked Omelettes Luscious Fruit Crepes Hickory Smoked Thick Cut Bacon Private Blend of Coffee TRENHOLM PLAZA • 782-6742 Monday-Friday……..6:30am-9pm • Saturday & Sunday……..7am-9pm

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

Community means everything.

That’s why we’re proud to be here to help life go right ™ – and to support Fort Jackson’s Troops.

If there’s anything you need, call us.

Milton Wright, Agent 4015 Forest Drive Columbia, SC 29204 Bus: 803-782-6400 milton.wright.nysd@statefarm.com

Larry Lucas Ins Agcy Inc Larry A Lucas, President 2100 Gervais Street Columbia, SC 29204 Bus: 803-799-1998

Craig Plank, Agent 7401 Parklane Rd Columbia, SC 29223 Bus: 803-788-8341 craig.plank.ichr@statefarm.com

Gregory D Nicholas, Agent 8006 E Garners Ferry Rd Columbia, SC 29209 Bus: 803-695-7070 gregory.nicholas.k0v0@statefarm.com

Gus Sylvan, Agent 614 Beltline Blvd Columbia, SC 29205 Bus: 803-787-3329 gus.sylvan.bwtq@statefarm.com

Trey Webb, Agent 111 Sparkleberry Crossing Columbia, SC 29229 Bus: 803-788-9188 trey.webb.rqrz@statefarm.com

Marilyn Wilson, Agent 10201 Two Notch Road Columbia, SC 29229 Bus: 803-788-2884 marilyn.wilson.bwrl@statefarm.com

Isaac Insurance Agcy Inc Veronica Isaac, Agent 1920 Bull Street Columbia, SC 29201 Bus: 803-779-6650

1601492

State Farm, Bloomington, IL

29D

30D

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

Congratulations to Fort Jackson on 100 Years of Service!

PRIDE

APPRECIATION PARTNERSHIP

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

THE STATE .....................................................................................................

31D

32D

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13 2016

...........................................................................................................THE STATE

We here at Dick Dyer & Associates, would like to thank you for the 100 years of service for not only our country, but for our community!

There are many advantages when purchasing or leasing a Mercedes-Benz, if you are a USAA member. Come and see us today and let us show you the benefits of buying a Dick Dyer Original.

5825 Two Notch Road Columbia, SC 29223 803-786-8888 www.dickdyeronline.com #joinourfamily

Your authorized Mercedes-Benz and Volvo dealer