U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson Commander Brig. Gen. Milford "Beags" Beagle has issued a challenge to the Fort Jackson civilian workforce -- 1 million steps. The effort is to get the civilian workforce on their feet and improve the health and wellness of the civilian workforce.

While the health of America's fighting force has always been one of the Army's highest priorities, the health of the civilian staff who support the Army's mission is just as important. Recently Beagle teamed up with U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson Chief of Staff Col. Renee MacDonald and Tiffany Landsell, executive assistant to the chief of staff, to help create the CG 1 Million Step Team.

"We have received a lot of positive feedback," MacDonald said. "About 200 have registered already."

Participants register for the program and record the number of steps they make in a day. After a week or a month, participants hand their step records into their supervisors who endorse the records and forward them to the initiative leads.

Those who accept the challenge not only begin making healthy habits, they will receive incentives as well. Here is what those incentives look like:

n 250,000 steps will earn a certificate

n 500,000 steps earns a certificate and recognition in future Leader editions

n 750,000 steps earns a certificate, recognition in the Leader and on social media

n 1,000,000 steps earns a certificate, the commanding general's coin or other item that will be hand delivered by Beagle and recognition during a ceremony to be held in May 2020

According to MacDonald, the program has really taken off and she has seen several groups of civilians who have turned the initiative into a competition amongst each other.

"We received our first email today where someone has already made 250,000 steps," MacDonald said.

Those interested in taking on the 1 million step challenge will need to register at https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=4613982c04c8323068e813244892e32dc3dfaf2df33e99772f6401cbbcd1e37770e1cde181e04f79ecd7bb18acd7ab8cb40d9aed0fd92186d5bb4d311822493da5b1c2k=0667430A725F. Click on the "Click here for your invitation" at the top of the page and then register for the event.

While the initiative began July 15, the event won't end until April 30, 2020.