As the saying goes, home is where the heart is. On Fort Jackson, commanders strive to make residents’ homes the best they can be.
Brig. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, Fort Jackson commander, and Col. Timothy R. Hickman, garrison commander, recently sat down with leaders from Fort Jackson Family Homes to discuss how to make living on Fort Jackson a better experience for all residents.
As the summer permanent change of station season ends there are many new residents in on-post housing. With PCS season there is a higher turnover in housing. These higher turnover rates can cause delays in everything from routine maintenance to longer than expected pre-move-in inspections. Couple this with employee turn-over, labor shortages and continuing supply chain delays, and many housing residents can become frustrated.
Behind the scenes, leaders are working to resolve these concerns.
Meeting with Fort Jackson Family Homes leadership is just one way the command seeks to improve quality of life on post.
“Partnership is a two-way street,” Kelly said. “Like any healthy relationship, there’s give and take.”
Improving resident’s experience with both receiving housing and fixing maintenance issues is a priority for the command and Fort Jackson Family Homes.
“There are hard truths and tough conversations that must be had,” Kelly said. “We have a healthy relationship with Fort Jackson Family Homes and Fort Jackson, and we’ve had good dialogue.”
Not only does the command communicate with our housing partner, they also want to hear from the residents themselves.
“I believe there are several opportunities at Fort Jackson to gain feedback from residents and for the garrison and Fort Jackson Family Homes to share where we are, and where we want to go with our on-post housing communities,” Hickman said.
One project Hickman is focused on is replacement of 31 legacy homes which will be demolished to make way for new houses.
Hickman recently drove through the housing areas to see first-hand the homes which will be replaced.
The project is expected to begin in 2024.
Hickman also said there are other efforts underway to identify future projects including improvements to playgrounds and exterior painting of quarters.
As for feedback, one tool the command uses are walking town halls. This allows both commanders to share information and expectations with residents and for residents to ask the experts questions. It also allows residents to show the command some of the challenges they may be facing.
The next walking town hall will take place Oct. 3 from 5-7 p.m. and start on Gaskins Court and end on Thomas Court.
More information and the walking route will be posted on the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Jackson Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usarmygarrisonfortjackson.
“We are collectively committed, and we are working together to make our community the best it can possibly be,” Kelly said.
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