1-61 Graduation and Family Day winter weather changes

By Lt. Col. James AllenJanuary 27, 2014

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Friends and Families of the 1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment Roadrunners,

The National Weather Service is continuing to update their forecast for Wednesday and Thursday of this week, and the forecast continues to indicate that snow will begin falling at Fort Jackson on Tuesday afternoon and likely continue through Wednesday morning. Therefore, the battalion will conduct ceremonies and events indoors according to the following schedule:

Wednesday, Jan. 29

9 -- 9:30 a.m.: Naturalization Ceremony at the Solomon Center.

10 -- 10:30 a.m.: Family Day Ceremony for A Company and B Company at the Solomon Center.

11:30 a.m. -- noon: Family Day Ceremony for C Company and D Company at the Solomon Center.

1 -- 1:30 p.m. : Family Day Ceremony for E Company and F Company at the Solomon Center.

4:30 -- 5:30 p.m.: New Army Dependent Brief (voluntary) at Starr Hall, Battalion Headquarters.

Thursday, Jan. 30

10 -- 10:30 a.m.: Graduation Ceremony for A Company and B Company at the Solomon Center.

11:30 a.m. -- noon: Graduation Ceremony for C Company and D Company at the Solomon Center.

1 -- 1:30 p.m.: Graduation Ceremony for E Company and F Company at the Solomon Center.

On both Wednesday and Thursday, Soldiers will receive an off-post pass until 8:30 p.m. Soldiers may travel with family to visit the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) activities and the Army Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) activities on post and they may travel off post to local establishments in the Columbia, S.C., area.

The address to the Solomon Center is 6510 Strom Thurmond Blvd., Fort Jackson, S.C. 29207. The Solomon Center is located at the intersection of Strom Thurmond Blvd and Marion St. Due to the small quantity of parking spaces available near the Solomon Center, I ask you to try not to arrive prior to 30 minutes before the scheduled ceremony times, and then efficiently depart the parking lot.

There is a possibility that road conditions deteriorate so dramatically as to make traveling in and around Columbia unsafe. If road conditions are labeled "Red," then traffic on post will be limited to emergency vehicles only. If road conditions are labeled "Black," then all roads on Ft. Jackson will be closed. I will not change the times of the scheduled ceremonies, but if roads conditions become "Black" I will cancel the ceremonies and restrict Soldiers to walking privileges only in order to ensure their safety.

Finally, I know that all of you are excited to see your Soldiers during Family Day and Graduation. However, this is only the first of many significant achievements that your Soldiers will complete during their careers. I encourage each of you to make an honest assessment of the weather conditions and your ability to travel. Please do not put yourself at unnecessary risk trying to arrive to Fort Jackson in order to observe one of these events.

Thank you for your support and your understanding,

Lt. Col. James Allen

Roadrunner 6