For one recently graduated Soldier one of the hardest parts of training was counting down the days until graduation. When he finally did graduate, he joined a long line of relatives who wore Army Greens – and three generations to serve at Fort Jackson.
Pfc. Chantz Husted graduated Basic Combat Training Feb. 2 with 3rd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, and joined five Family members who served in the Army.
He was joined at his graduation by his mother, Col. Robin Husted, and father, Lt. Col. Patrick Husted, who are currently serving. Col. Husted’s father graduated basic training in the 1970s from Fort Jackson.
Pfc. Husted’s parents “were both here as (adjutant general) officers, as lieutenants, and we came back as captain, and we did our captain's career course at that time,” Col. Husted said.
“I am a fourth generation Soldier, married to another Soldier,” said Col. Husted, the U.S. Africa Command’s J-1, or top personnel officer. “Both of my grandfathers served in World War II and more than 50 years ago my dad was standing on this very field graduating basic training.”
Col. Husted was the guest speaker at the graduation.
“A little over 20 years ago, my husband was leading his company here in pass and review. The Army is in our blood and the Army is our Family.”
Pfc. Husted’s parents said they thought it was impressive to watch him graduate.
“This is the coolest thing I have ever seen,” Lt. Col. Husted said. “Twenty years ago, I was a company commander here and I never imagined that I would be in the stands watching him do it. That is the coolest thing I have ever seen.”
Trainees encountered a plethora of experiences going through training. They lived in bays, woke up early each morning for physical training, fired rifles and felt the stinging of tear gas while learning to trust their protective masks.
For Pfc. Husted, the toughest part was making it through the day.
“Getting up in the morning was the easy part,” he said, “making it through to the end of the day; that was the hard part.”
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