Courtesy Photo | Fort Polk command applauds the inaugural Friends of the Forge inductees.... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. — A ceremony inducting three community leaders as the inaugural class of Friends of the Forge was held at the Warrior Center Ballroom, Sept. 3.
Logan Morris, Keith Lewing and Jody Campbell are the recipients of Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk’s recognition during a new tradition that honors individuals whose contributions have a lasting impact on the installation, Soldiers, families and retirees.
“The forge is where strength is built,” said Brig. Gen. Jason A. Curl, commanding general of JRTC and Fort Polk. “Here at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, we forge ready, disciplined, lethal and resilient warfighters. But no forge can burn without fuel.”
“Our community, the people we honor today, is that fuel,” he said.
Curl emphasized that the Friends of the Forge program is about building a network of supporters who give voice to Soldiers and their families, amplifying the army’s mission. Their contributions make the force stronger at home, enabling it to be stronger in combat.
Mayor Howard Keith Lewing is a true son of Louisiana, Curl said.
Born and raised in Anacoco, Lewing has spent his life building businesses and communities.
“Perhaps most moving of all, Keith has made it his personal mission to greet Soldiers returning from deployments,” Curl said.
Lewing meets every bus, shakes every hand, and often escorts those buses back home to Fort Polk. For him, it is not a ceremony; it is a promise to every Soldier that their service is seen, honored and deeply valued.
“Keith doesn’t just support the Army; he treats it like family,” Curl said.
Logan Morris, former Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, represents the next generation of leadership. Historically, Morris is the youngest person ever appointed to the role.
A Leesville native with deep roots, Morris grew up in the shadow of Fort Polk. He graduated from Leesville High School and now serves as CEO of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce.
Beyond his titles and board memberships, Morris’s story is one of energy, passion and relentless commitment to community.
Morris is especially outspoken about supporting military spouses and children.
“He (Morris) works to connect spouses with employment opportunities, ensuring Army kids have the support they need as they transition into new schools,” Curl said.
For Morris, service isn’t about his seat at the table; it’s about making sure Soldiers and families have every opportunity to thrive.
Morris is married to Dr. Jeremy Draper. Together, they build a life of service with immense reach and impact.
Morris reminds us that supporting our Soldiers is not just about remembering the past; it’s about shaping the future.
Jody Campbell describes himself as “just a simple person.”
“Simple doesn’t mean small,” Curl said.
For more than 40 years, Campbell worked in industrial sales and service, but he said what defines him isn’t his career; it’s his love for America, his love for Soldiers, and his passion for ensuring veterans are never overlooked.
In 2000, Campbell founded the Dry Creek Veterans Day celebration, and it has since grown into one of the largest of its kind in Southwest Louisiana. What sets Campbell apart is the way he has made it his mission to ensure that Vietnam Veterans, who may never have received the recognition they deserved upon their return home, finally receive the honor and thanks they earned.
That act of healing, closing of a wound left open for decades, is a gift not just to those veterans, but to their families and to the Army community.
“These three Friends of the Forge make the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk better,” Curl said. “They also make the Army better, and remind us when a community invests in its Army, the nation reaps the reward of stronger defenders of freedom.”
Curl said the installation team hopes the Friends of the Forge program will prosper from this first class into a legacy of community champions.
“When the forge burns bright, the Army and America stand ready!” he exclaimed.
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2025 08:58 |
| Story ID: | 548377 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
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