A resident of the Chestnut Glen community at Fort Knox, Spc. Charles Smith (center left) shares some issues with Garrison Commander Col. Chris Ricci (left) and Command Sgt. Maj. Sherman Waters during a golf cart tour of the community Oct. 2, 2023. Ricci and Waters plan to tour each of the communities as a show of genuine care and concern for residents.

Chestnut Glen resident Kendal Majors offers some suggestions to Ricci on ways to improve life at Fort Knox. Ricci and Waters brought along several key officials from the Housing Office and Knox Hills to address on the spot any issues residents had.

FORT KNOX, Ky. —Garrison Commander Col. Chris Ricci and Command Sgt. Maj. Sherman Waters jumped in a golf cart and cruised the streets of the Chestnut Glen neighborhood on Oct. 2 to hear from residents and see any concerns they may have in person.

They didn’t travel alone.

With three planned stops and some unplanned routes along the way, Ricci and Waters came with a small army of key officials from Knox Hills and the Resident Housing Office, armed with clipboards and pens to take notes.

Their first planned stop yielded valuable information about lawn/sidewalk flooding, trash collection and drain gutter issues. Their second stop dealt with debris on some of the streets, expanded bicycle routes and a desire for more storage, especially among those with larger families.

Ricci, Waters and the housing officials traveled throughout Chestnut Glen on golf carts to meet residents and answer any questions they may have had.

Housing and Knox Hills officials listen and take notes as Majors explains some of her concerns to them.

Ricci and housing personnel were able to provide on-the-spot explanations for many of the concerns while jotting notes on others and reassuring residents that they were there to get problems fixed – for all residents.

One issue of concern involved clogged rain gutters in some of the homes, which have potentially contributed to some of the flooding. A housing representative said they are actually addressing that very issue in the Chestnut Glen community by replacing old leaky gutters.

A Knox Hills official said contractors are working throughout Chestnut Glen to replace old gutters and clean others as part of their commitment to residents at Fort Knox.

A desire to ride bicycles in range areas was another issue that was discussed. Ricci explained some of that changed on Sept. 22 for Soldiers who are looking to expand physical fitness training.

“We just signed a new policy about that,” said Ricci, about Policy 14 that grants the use of some range roads to military cycling enthusiasts.

One resident decided to meet Ricci and the others prior to the start of their journey, so the group decided to spend the remaining time traveling down several streets, surveying ongoing construction and noting any other possible improvements they saw along the way.

Housing director Mary Ellen Correia said more of these tours are being planned at other communities in the near future, starting Nov. 9 with Pritchard Place.

Officials cruise Chestnut Glen to check on any issues that may not have been brought to their attention during some of the planned stops.