Recently, I have had another detailed report on Fort Jackson, SC on Militarydutystations.com – for all those who are going, I can imagine every bit of information is welcomed.
What tips do you have? Maybe you know of a great pediatrician? Chiropractor? Restaurant/Bar? Any suggestions that could be good to know when you move here? Comment below. You can also add your tips here.
LB1213 (Thank you, LB1213) said:
I agree with Vanya, the most challanging thing about being stationed at Ft. Jackson is that if your husband is a Drill Sgt then his hours are going to be very, very long and quality family time is hard to come by. Expect him to work 90-100 hrs on a normal week during basic training cycles, always 6 days a week, sometimes 7. When they’re in the middle of the cycle we can usually expect for my husband to get off one Sunday every two weeks. You will be on your own… a lot.
That being said, Columbia itself isn’t all that bad. If you have kids summer can be challenging because it gets very hot and very humid, which really limits outdoor activities. There is decent shopping in the area like the Columbiana Mall and the Village at Sandhill and Walmarts and Targets are plentiful. We live in Northeast Columbia and there are TONS of activities for kids all summer…you just have to be willing to get out there and get involved. We live about 15-20 mins from Ft. Jackson and are really happy with the area.
I will also echo the other ladies sentiments about things on post, like the PX or MWR facilities. Family Day is Wednesday and Graduation Day is Thursday. On Family Day in particular you really want to avoid the PX and/or any of the MWR facilities (bowling alley, water park, etc) because they will be PACKED with the families of graduating soliders and it has been my experience that Ft. Jackson is more concerned with catering to these families (and the money they are willing to spend on post) than to the families who are here living in the community on a daily basis. The privates are not authorized to travel outside of Ft. Jackson on Family Day, so all of the families are trapped on post the entire day…and it can be overwhelming if you are trying to get anything done. I suggest avoiding the PX on Wednesdays and Thursday mornings before Graduation, all together.
Housing
I would recommend living off post as well. We live in Northeast Columbia and have access to everything we need (grocery stores, Target, retail like the outdoor mall in Sandhill, plenty of restaurants and entertainment for kids, etc.) We’re about 15-20 minutes from Ft. Jackson and the rental prices in the area are really reasonable and should be easily be covered by your BAH. We also like living off post because my husband spends soooo much time at work it’s nice for him to have some time away from Ft. Jackson when he can get it!
Schools
You will want your kids to attend school in Richland 2. Check out the school district’s website as well as the zoning map, if you plan to live off post. Some of the schools are better than others so it is also a good idea to check out greatschools.org to check their ratings as well as talk to other parents in the area about where their kids go to school and what they like and don’t like about it. There are several magnet programs in the district as well that each have their own special emphasis/learning style. There is one geared towards fine arts, one for math and science, etc.
For Kids
A new Monkey Joe’s just opened in Columbia, just off Clemson Rd, near the exit to I-20. MyGym in the Village at Sandhill offers a military discount on it’s memberships and classes and my son really enjoyed taking classes there before he was in school full-time. The main park on post is really nice and pretty big. It has three sets of playground equipment, one for the little ones, a medium-sized one and a huge one for older kids. The watermark, Palmetto Falls, is also fun during the summer and fairly inexpensive. Lots of recreational sports leagues around if your kids are into baseball, soccer, football, etc.
Medical
Moncrief was so full when we arrived that my son and I were both assigned civilian primary care managers. He sees Dr. Sooros at Palmetto Pediatrics and she has been fantastic. I see the general practice doctors in the same building and overall we’re happy with the care we’ve received. For dental my son sees a great pediatric dentist, Dr. Lawhan, at Northeast Children’s Dentistry, just off Clemson Rd in the Summit neighborhood. She’s been great and they accept United Concordia.
What do you think?
Welcome to Fort Jackson
