Local

Want to spend a day with soldiers at Fort Jackson’s basic training? Here’s how

By Teddy Kulmala
Army recruit Jamie Udet digs a foxhole during the Victory Forge training exercise in August 2016 at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. Victory Forge is the culminating basic combat training exercise where recruits spend four days and three nights putting their skills to test with little time to rest. Fort Jackson will hold a ‘Come Meet Your Army’ tour that gives the public an up-close look at the Army’s basic combat training.
Army recruit Jamie Udet digs a foxhole during the Victory Forge training exercise in August 2016 at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. Victory Forge is the culminating basic combat training exercise where recruits spend four days and three nights putting their skills to test with little time to rest. Fort Jackson will hold a ‘Come Meet Your Army’ tour that gives the public an up-close look at the Army’s basic combat training. Sean Rayford online@thestate.com
COLUMBIA, SC

If you’ve ever wanted an up-close look at what goes on during Fort Jackson’s basic combat training, here’s your chance.

The base will hold a “Come Meet Your Army” tour on Sept. 20 that allows the public a chance to see and experience how soldiers train at Fort Jackson, along with a look at the daily operations of the country’s largest military training installation.

“I would love for everyone in the state of South Carolina to come see their Army,” Fort Jackson commander Brig. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr. said in a release Tuesday. “Our profession is based on trust with the public. This is your Army, what we do inside the gates is no secret.”

During the daylong tour, visitors will be assigned a drill sergeant, watch a graduation ceremony and experience reception and learn to shoot a rifle on a simulator system, according to a news release. They also will get to eat lunch with soldiers and ask questions about basic training, Fort Jackson and the Army in general.

Participants must be at least 13 years old, and children ages 13 to 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors should be prepared for indoor and outdoor activities that might include squatting, kneeling, lying on the floor and walking on uneven terrain.

Spots in the tour are limited, and the deadline to sign up is Sept. 18, according to the release. The tour begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. There is no cost for the tour but lunch will cost $5.60 per person, and only cash is accepted.

For more information, or to register, visit https://go.usa.gov/xUzd3 or call Fort Jackson Community Relations at 803-751-1472.

This story was originally published September 4, 2018 at 12:46 PM.

Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW