Something RAD happened on Fort Jackson May 19-21.
It wasn't something out of the 1980s but rather Retiree Appreciation Days where the post celebrated those who retired from the military service.
The events included a breakfast, being honored at a Basic Combat Training graduation, a golf outing at the Fort Jackson Golf Course and culminated with a Retiree Health and Benefits Expo at the Solomon Center.
Retired Col. Mike Molosso, chairman of the Fort Jackson Retirement Council, who has been part of the retiree appreciation days for 12 years said, "the post as long as I have known it, and that has been 15 years now, as always been very supportive of retirees and their families by going out of their way to find ways to show that appreciation and provide the necessary life system support that retirees and surviving spouses require as they get older."
Molosso said the council is just one of the ways Fort Jackson works with retirees. Another way is through the RAD events.
He also lauded the directorates of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, and Human Resources as the drivers of the entire appreciation days.
While other events were equally important to show the post's recognition of retiree's service, the health expo allowed them to keep updated with current medical and other benefits.
"For new retirees who haven't been to one," Molosso said, "it provides them some insight into the service providers who are out there for them. We also have Moncrief Army Community Hospital here and they provide health checks and information on services that are available."
Sgt. Bradley Coon, an optometry technician at MACH, said he found the RAD events enlightening because it shows him how much the post cares about retirees.
"It's enjoyable to come out and interact with them," he said. "It's fun to come out and help them. Hopefully when I get there one day there will be days" like these for me.
At the event Coon and other optometry techs were giving out information about vision services while also taking orders from retirees for new spectacles.
We are also "ordering glasses for anyone who brings in an updated prescription to us," Coon, an 11-year veteran said. Retirees had a choice of what frames they preferred in any color as long as it was black.
Margaret Stewart and her husband James, love RAD especially the health expo because "there is lots of information and they sometimes answer questions we ask. We also get to see people we haven't seen in a while."
James Stewart is a veteran of the Americal Division that served in Vietnam from 1970-71.
The retirees are originally from York, South Carolina but retired in the Columbia area.
James W. Pearson Jr, who retired after 20 years, said his Family looks forward to the events each year.
"Me and my wife ever since I retired we've been at every event," he said. "I like the general information they have. I love the handouts they give.
"I really just like being around the military environment. I tell my wife that when I was active duty it was like being around family. There are guys in the military, comrades in the military, who are just like brothers. It's just like a brother you love and haven't seen in a while."
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