“Safe, secure, affordable and attractive.” That is how one Fort Jackson resident characterized the post’s on-post housing.
Fort Jackson officials walked through on-post housing, Oct. 3, speaking to residents face-to-face and the results were positive.
Residents spoken to indicate their work orders are being completed more quickly than before. At one point Fort Jackson Family Homes had 600 open work orders, but it has been cut to 100 after a full staff of maintenance personnel had been hired.
Retired Chaplain (Col.) Jonathan Gibbs III came out to speak to Brig. Gen. Jason E. Kelly, Fort Jackson commander, and other leaders about living in on-post housing while letting them know of his concerns.
Gibbs lauded Fort Jackson housing as “safe, secure, affordable and attractive.”
“I have lived on other Army installations where we did not feel safe because there were gangs. There were wives dealing drugs out of their quarters … Here at Fort Jackson, we don’t have any of that,” said Gibbs, who was on active duty from 1989 to 2014 when he retired as the command chaplain for U.S. Army Central at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. “This is very safe and secure.”
“I like to tell folks we live on one of the most expensive, most secure gated communities in the country.”
The walking housing town hall allowed Kelly and other leaders to “go ahead and talk to residents about housing issues or anything to that effect,” said Ricky Hernandez, with the Housing Services Office.
Being able to talk to residents in the housing areas where they live “provides some visibility and firsthand experience of what residents are feeling and dealing with on a daily basis,” Hernandez said.
The walking town hall was a slight departure from previous such events since tables were set up in certain areas where residents could come get water or some snacks and speak with leadership.
Kelly was accompanied at the town hall, by Col. Timothy Hickman, garrison commander, Col. Scott White, 193rd Infantry Brigade commander, Col. Kenneth Dwyer, Leader Training Brigade commander, post housing officials and representatives from Fort Jackson Family Homes.
It’s also important for leaders to get out into the community because some of those happy with housing don’t respond to surveys.
“If you sent out a survey, there’s a vocal population” that will respond, Kelly said. “But those that are truly happy are not participating. So, I like coming out (to talk to residents).”
“It’s great anytime the command can meet Soldiers on any issue,” Gibbs said. “It’s great because you get an unvarnished, straight from the horse’s mouth view of what’s going on – especially in housing. They get a chance to talk to spouses as well, which you don’t get in the command sponsored, organizational meetings, like (Kelly) said, typically folks that are happy don’t show up.”
It was a time for leadership to reiterate their commitment enforcing the standards to those living in housing.
Dwyer said, “if I get a call from anybody here that says, ‘Hey, you got this house, or whatever, not complying with this policy,’ sergeant major and I will come over” and talk to his Soldiers about it.
Residents with concerns can reach out to Fort Jackson Family Homes or to the Housing Services Office. Information about the HSO can be found online at https://home.army.mil/jackson/about/Garrison/directorate-public-works/housing-services-office.
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