Fort Jackson hosted an Industry Day March 14 as part of a “relentless pursuit” to improve its abilities.
The Industry Day, held at the Solomon Center, brought Soldiers and leaders together with vendors who can help the post continuously seek excellence.
“We have the history, we have the equipment, and we definitely have the people to back up that claim,” said Col. Mark Huhtanen, Army Training Center and Fort Jackson deputy commander. Huhtanen opened up the exposition with a brief speech. “With no doubt we actually are the best Army on the planet. But not because we crossed the finish line or reached some point. We are the best Army because our standards are rising, our requirements are evolving as our people get smarter, faster and stronger every day.
“It is with this reality in mind, as we continue our relentless pursuit of constantly improving, that we host this Industry Day.”
He said the vision was for government and industry to collaborate “to solve tough, tough issues we faced in the Initial Entry Training sector.”
The issues addressed at the Industry Day included how trainees and their Families correspond to each other; how to keep them cool during hot training; and new ways to treat wounds.
The Industry Day began with post senior leaders given a guided tour of the expo where each exhibitor gave a one-minute presentation. Later, the doors opened to the general public.
Emily Anderson, one of the event coordinators, told the senior leaders, the day is a “great way to pinpoint what you might want to go back and learn more about.”
“We depend on the ingenuity, technical progress, and creativity of our partners outside the game, just as much as we rely on our people inside the game,” Huhtanen said. “Today, we bring all that together via communication and inform one another of what’s new, and to find out the next big thing that’ll get that extra 10% out of our trainees.”
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