Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, Fort Jackson commander, will relinquish command to Brig. Gen. John P. Johnson Friday in a ceremony at Victory Field. He sat down briefly with the Fort Jackson Leader to reflect about his time commanding the post.
What will you remember most about your time at Fort Jackson?
"That's a great question. I think the people. It's truly different groups of people -- the Soldiers, the cadre. Before I came here I had no idea how hard they work. Our civilians and Soldiers, who train Soldiers on post -- the tight knit Family that this installation is. The community is another group that I will remember. I can't think of a more military-friendly community than Columbia and the Midlands, and how good they have been, not only to my Family, but to our Soldiers.
"The Soldiers, the citizen-volunteers, who come in every single week. You know we started, 'I became a Soldier' in the Leader because there are so many neat stories. Those are the three main groups. It's the people, I think, that will make the lasting impression I will have of Fort Jackson."
Of all the things accomplished at Fort Jackson while you were here, what are you most proud of?
"The first thing is, I didn't do anything. It was the people underneath that are able to take ideas and translate them into actionable plans and things on the ground. I am most proud of the team work of the organization and how we all came together to accomplish the mission here.
"I think we made some really solid improvements to basic training. We've increased rigor in Victory Forge. We've empowered drill sergeants. I am really proud how the Army Training Center has come together to really boil down what we need to do here -- that is produce Soldiers who can shoot, move and communicate, who are physically fit and well-disciplined. I'm most proud of how we moved in that direction.
"In terms of Garrison and our partners in excellence, we made some significant improvements to the installation. We've got a long-term vision now, and I think we are moving in the right direction. So I'm really proud of that. I'm also proud of how the community came together during the flooding and how not only were we able to take care of ourselves and the Soldiers in Training, but also assist the community during that time of crisis.
"There are so many things to be proud of. But, I am most proud of the Soldiers and civilians on this installation and the hard work they do. They are the unsung heros, who like I say, are lineman who block every day."
There have been numerous partnerships with the local community, such as the University of South Carolina football team. In your opinion why it is important for the installation to work well with the local community?
"I think everybody benefits. When I was talking to President (Harris) Pastides (USC president) early on when I first got here, we both realized we deal with the same population in terms of the performance triad. USC and the other institutions in town were all kind of dealing with the same problems. So coming together has been beneficial to everybody.
"I think it is important to partner because a majority of our Soldiers live out in the community. We are part of the Columbia/Midlands area. We shop in the stores. We work in the establishments. So we are building the sense of community support -- in other words -- telling the Army story. A lot of great things occur inside the gate of Fort Jackson and I think its important that people outside the gates understand what goes on here. Furthermore, we have a lot we can learn from each other.
"Working with the USC football team, for example, when Coach (Will) Muschamp said he was interested in (partnering) to work on mentorship and developing natural leaders -- we can help. It takes two hands to clap, we are one of those hands the community is the other. Together, I think, we all get better."
When looking back at all your assignments during your career, how would you rate Fort Jackson?
"Before I came here I would've said, 'Argh, Fort Jackson,' because I had never been here, but it's been one of the best assignments I have had in the Army. The mission is clear, we have the resources to get it done, the people are phenomenal (they are hand picked; the best the Army has to offer), and the community is amazing.
"I went around as part of listening sessions to almost all of the military installation in CONUS. This is the most military-friendly community I have ever been in.
"My wife and I are disappointed because we really wanted to stay another year, but in the Army we are Soldiers. When the Army says you move, you move."
Is there anything would you have liked to have accomplished before you had to leave?
"There are a couple more tweaks we would like to do in regards to basic training. We have a good vision for where we want to go. We had a training conference out at (the McCrady Training Center) where we really looked at basic training in 2020 and beyond -- where we need to get to and what we want to do.
"I would like to have been here to get some of the infrastructure work we've been focused on (completing). (Some are) a new 120th (Adjutant General) Reception complex, we are working through Semmes Lake (issues), we've got some World War II wood that needs to come down, installation paving projects, and Soldier barracks (renovations and construction). So there is a lot of infrastructure stuff that we have planned that I would have liked to have been done on my
watch, but General Johnson is a great man and he is a great Soldier. This is like a relay, we will hand the baton off to him and he will keep running."
Is there anything you would like to say to the members of the Fort Jackson community?
"On behalf of Diane, my daughter Haley, my son Cameron and my son Roger, who is now a Soldier serving at Fort Benning, thank you to the community for making us feel so welcome, and making us feel like part of their Family. My daughter is going to go to school at the University of South Carolina,
which we never would have considered before we got here. Thank you to the Soldiers and civilians here on Fort Jackson who do a phenomenal job transforming citizen-volunteers into Soldiers, and the sacrifices they make every day that people don't even know about.
"When I say that folks on Fort Jackson are truly lineman on our team that block on every play and never get any credit. I mean that. Thank for what you do every day. We build strategic readiness here at Fort Jackson, and the Army could not accomplish its mission without you. So never, ever, confuse your proximity to the fight with your importance to the mission.
You are incredibly important to what the Army does and you are some of the finest Soldiers and civilians I've worked with. You are consummate professionals, so thank you for what you
and your Families do, and thank your for your service to the country."
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