A journey of 100 miles began with a single step March 15 at Andrew Jackson State Park.
The relay began midnight at Andrew Jackson State Park, with more than 300 Soldiers and civilians taking part in the 100-mile run to Fort Jackson in celebration of a number of milestones. The event helped mark the installation's 100th birthday, as well as the 250th birthday of the post's namesake,
Andrew Jackson.
Fort Jackson's commander, Maj. Gen. Pete Johnson, said a mere 5K run was not enough to
honor these milestones.
"The distance really reflects the courage, the character that we see represented in the readiness
of our Army," Johnson said. "We wanted a distance that demanded teamwork to accomplish. All of
the teams at Fort Jackson own a part of this run."
Carried inside the baton during the relay was a reproduction of the proclamation that lead to the
establishment of Fort Jackson. Signed June 2, 1917, the document was carried by relay teams in 10-mile stretches along the route, which followed U.S. 21 through Blythewood, Fort Jackson National Cemetery, and downtown Columbia before coming to rest here at Hilton Field.
Johnson said 2017 has been a time for Fort Jackson to reinvest itself in its own heritage.
"Fort Jackson has evolved over time," he said. "But central has been the training of our Soldiers, the training of our leaders, so we could defend everything our nation stands for. The intent (of carrying the baton) is to recognize our birth, and recognize what that means for the next 100 years."
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