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8 a.m., 1917 Club. This orientation is mandatory for all Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians arriving at Fort Jackson. Spouses are encouraged to attend. This will be a great opportunity for spouses to receive first-hand information about the valuable available resources on and around Fort Jackson. For more information, call Army Community Service at 751-5256.
Sep04
First Friday Golf
Sep 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
First Friday Golf has a new start time of 9 a.m. Maj. Gen. Daryl O.Hood invites you to join him for First Friday Golf, the first Friday of every month! You may enter your own team or sign up as a single and the FJGC PGA Professionals will pair you with a group. Entry fee is $45 for FJGC members and $55 for non-members. The entry fee includes applicable greens fee, user Fee, cart, prizes, and a boxed lunch. For more information, or tor register, call (803) 562-4437.
Sep10
1,000 lbs. Club Competition
Sep 10, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
5 p.m., Coleman Gym. Come out and test your strength during various workout and win a coveted t-shirt. For more information, call (803) 751-3700.
Sep17
DSOY Awards Ceremony
Sep 17, 2026
Solomon Center. The U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command names the top drill sergeants during a ceremony held in the Solomon Center.
Sep18
Suicide Prevention Training: safeTALK
Sep 18, 2026, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
9 a.m. to noon. Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, contractors and Family members 18 years and older are invited to a three hour training on suicide alertness workshop to assist individuals to recognize warning signs and communicate safely with people thinking about suicide. For more information or to register, call (803) 751-2915.
Sep19
Horseback Riding at Fort Gordon
Sep 19, 2026
Join Fort Jackson Outdoor Recreation for a horseback trail ride. Novice or Pro, this guided ride will be great for those looking for an outdoor adventure. $75 per person. Must be 7 years and older. Register at MWR Central or by calling (803) 751-3484.
Sep24
Baby Basics: The First 6 Weeks
Sep 24, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 9810 Liberty Division Road. Learn what it takes to care for your newborn during the six weeks and beyond. Registration is required. For more information, call (803) 751-6325.
Sep25
Oktoberfest
Sep 25, 2026, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
4 p.m., 1917 Club. Ready for Oktoberfest? Come experience Oktoberfest firsthand at the 1917 Club, and experience the festivities and fun that comes with Oktoberfest, Fort Jackson style. Volksmarch registration starts at 4 p.m. The festival includes: Volksmarch, a band, German buffet, Kids Zone, games, beer, and brats.
Sep26
MWR Central Presents: Flea Market
Sep 26, 2026, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
8 a.m. to noon, MWR Central Parking Lot. Come join the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation for a Flea Market. Stalls are on sale now. There will be household goods, tools, clothes, furniture, art, jewelry, music, books, and crafts for sale.. Food and beverage sales are prohibited. For more information, call (803) 751-3484.
Sep29
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Sep 29, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, contractors and Family members 18 years and older are invited to a two day interactive workshop teaching participants how to recognize, intervene, and create safety plans for individuals with thoughts of suicide. For more information or to register, call (803) 751-2915.
Jennifer Jelle, a Family Care Center provider on Fort Jackson, reads to a child as two others play. FCCs are an essential component of executing the Child and Youth Services mission: to reduce the conflict between parental responsibilities and unit mission readiness.
'Essential component' of Child, Youth Services opens at Fort Jackson
Story, photo by Robert Timmons, Fort Jackson Public Affairs
Fort Jackson is big on providing for the community. There are gyms for Soldiers, places for families and trainees to spend time together during Family Day, and numerous child development centers to take care of the little ones.
A new Family Care Center opened Aug. 24 can be added to the mix.
According to the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, the FCC program provides quality, home-based childcare for military families on Army garrisons. FCC providers offer care for children aged 4 weeks to 12 years in government-owned and government-leased housing on post.
For the operator of that new FCC on post its about providing care for Soldiers and their Families.
The FCC is “extremely important because the Soldiers here are mainly drill sergeants, so they have hours that are not your typical eight to five like other garrisons,” said Jennifer Jelle, a Family Care Center provider on Fort Jackson. “So, an FCC is able to step in and help fill the gaps where the CDCs can’t cover that care.”
Family Child Care is an essential component of executing the Child and Youth Services mission: to reduce the conflict between parental responsibilities and unit mission readiness, said CYS coordinator Tara Paprzycki.
Paprzycki said one of the hallmarks of an FCC home is its ability to tailor care to meet the specific needs of individual children and their families.
“FCC homes provide the same quality standards expected across our child development centers and school age centers, while offering care in a comfortable homelike setting,” she said.
Jelle agreed and added children get more attention in an FCC.
“I have less kids, so they get way more one on one attention, and then I can offer care for like if the dads have CQ, the kids can stay with me, so they feel at home,” she said.
Not everyone can run an FCC – it requires a lengthy process that Jelle, who has provided various forms of childcare 23 years, went through.
“Providers go through a rigorous training and background check process, similar to other CYS Employees,” Paprzycki said. “FCC homes are regularly monitored, inspected by the appropriate components, including fire, safety, environmental and Army Public Health Nursing.
In addition, FCC providers are required to complete foundational training, which includes developmentally appropriate practices, health and sanitation courses and other essential competencies.
Providers must also maintain current CPR and first aid certification and complete 24 hours of training after completing foundational training.
Jelle said the certification process was great, actually.
“I learned a lot,” she said. “It’s a pretty quick process. It’s about a two-week long training course, and it gives you everything you need: first aid, CPR, everything.”
She encourages Families to join an FCC.
“The kids get more one-on-one attention,” she said. “It’s a way smaller ratio. I can only have six kids total. It’s more like the kids being at home.”
Fort Jackson is looking to have more FCCs on post. For those looking to start an FCC can call Fort Jackson’s CYS at (803) 751-1672.
An “FCC is more than an alternative childcare option – it is an important part of the CYS team, providing quality, flexible care that supports military families and contributes to unit mission readiness,” Paprzycki said.
