Class of 2025 Military Day Recap
Fort Eisenhower, amassing over 85 square miles and close to 30,000 military and civilian members, is a city within greater Richmond and Columbia counties. Our morning started early on March 12 and with our peers from Leadership Columbia County we were welcomed to the installation, a new term for me (as opposed to base or post).
Founded in 1941, Mr. Robert Kazimer, Deputy to the Commanding General, and Mr. Scott Anderson, the U.S. Army Cyber School Branch Historian provided a deep dive into its history. The rich history began during World War II and eventually led to the establishment of the Signal Corps Training Center, which led to it finally being designated as the U.S. Army Cyber Center for Excellence in 2014.
Over the course of the day, there were so many terms that were unfamiliar to me. First, garrison…what does that mean? Google states, “a military post or base and the troops stationed there to guard or defend it.” Helpful. We heard from Garrison Commander, Colonel Anthony Kazor who provided a brief overview of the installation. The organization chart for all of those not familiar. Who were the individuals that worked, lived, and defended our country at Fort Eisenhower?
The rest of our morning consisted of really exploring the grounds. We took a tour of the AIT Barracks with the Drill Sergeant Team. AIT…what does that stand for...Advanced Individual Training. There were lots of questions about the physical fitness test and consensus that we would not pass. In addition, we took a tour of the Signal School where students were learning information systems, communication systems, and worldwide networks. The overarching question..is this real life or a simulation? Are we in the Matrix?
Over lunch, we received national security and cyber threat briefings from the National Security Agency. The sum of that story…don’t click the links!
We were able to observe a working dog demonstration, test our skills in their indoor laser-based marksmanship training, and experience historical funeral honors and a flag folding demonstration.
The end of the day allowed us to hear from the resources on base that helped soldiers and veterans find jobs. We discussed ways in which we can take advantage of the installation and what’s available to the entire CSRA community.
Our day ended with Sheldon Moorer and Tom Clark sharing personal anecdotes, a cadence/chant and poem. In a day that was filled with education, learning, and structure; we were all impacted in the final few moments with a time to reflect on what the military has meant to us, to the men and women who served, and to the United States.