Col. Timothy R. Hickman, garrison commander, receives the organizational colors from Vincent Grewatz, director, IMCOM - Training during a change of command ceremony on Victory Field, June 15. Hickman assumed responsibility for Fort Jackson's garrison from Col. Ryan D. Hanson. 

New garrison commander has multiple ties to post

Story, photos by Robert Timmons, Fort Jackson Public Affairs

Fort Jackson welcomed a new garrison commander with multiple ties to the post, June 15.

When Col. Timothy Hickman received the garrison colors from Vincent Grewatz, director of the Installation Management Command’s Training Directorate, he added another tie to Fort Jackson. Hickman took command of the unit from Col. Ryan Hanson during a ceremony at Victory Field.

Hickman’s father went through Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson before getting out and later rejoining the Army as a chaplain. He had two sons one of which who became the newest garrison commander.

“That doesn’t happen without hard work of garrisons and Army communities across the globe,” Hickman said after illustrating the impact the Army has on the service and Families, in his first speech as garrison commander.

Hickman’s father’s service at Jackson isn’t his only tie to the post. He attended the Adjutant General Corps Captain’s Career Course in 2004, and as the chief of the Integrated Personnel & Pay System Fusion Cell at the Soldier Support Institute from 2016-2018.

His ties to Jackson go even further.

He was the AG Proponent Director at the AG School in 2020. He returned to Jackson again in 2022 after spending a year at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania to be the director of the TRADOC Proponent Office for Human Resources at Fort Jackson.

“I love the Fort Jackson community and downtown Columbia,” Hickman said. “We have a lot of fun in the community, and we are just super excited to be part of this portion of the Fort Jackson community now.”

“The Fort Jackson garrison has magnificently executed its support mission … which is only possible because we share a common purpose underpinned by common values,” Grewatz said while lauding the garrison’s efforts during Hanson’s tenure.

In the past two years, Fort Jackson garrison supported “the Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course – a major step to address the accessions mission of our Army. They’ve supported the establishment of the Institute for Religious Leadership and the religious services business operation center. They’ve opened up the installation from a Morale, Welfare and Recreation standpoint … They’ve electrified the vehicle fleet … and they’ve continued to set the Army standard for childcare.”

The garrison “executes over $225 billion every year and processed more than 75,000 Soldiers passing through Fort Jackson’s gates,” Grewatz said.

Grewatz, during the ceremony spoke directly to Hickman and his wife, Cheryl, when he said, “I can’t think of a better couple to lead the garrison who have the full confidence and support moving forward.”

“I’m confident that you’re going to lead the organization with pride and distinction,” Grewatz added, “and you’ll successfully meet all the new challenges while elevating the garrison to new levels.”