FORT BENNING, Ga. - Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity event in Columbus, Georgia, Feb. 10.
Fourteen Sledgehammer Soldiers assisted with the construction of a new home located in a low-income neighborhood that would be used to house a family in need.
“We were given an opportunity to come out here and support Habitat for Humanity,” said Maj. Loren Hutsell, a native of Roswell, New Mexico, and the chaplain of the 3rd BCT, 3rd ID. “The Sledgehammer Brigade was looking for opportunities to reach out to the community as we continue to close down, and to truly thank the community for all that is has done for us. This is a chance to let the community know that we appreciate them and the relationship that we’ve built.”
All of the Soldiers that volunteered for the event were really focused on helping the Columbus community out and making a difference, Hutsell said.
Pvt. Kelsie Ewing, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and a chaplain’s assistant with the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd BCT, 3rd ID, was one of the Soldiers volunteering at the event.
“Any time I hear anything about volunteering, I sign up,” Ewing said. “I just like to volunteer. It’s fun, and I think the community really respects it when we come out. They appreciate it.”
According to Hutsell, the Soldiers at the event are enrolled in a program that works with Fort Benning Army Community Service representatives, so that the Soldiers can earn and track volunteer hours.
“A lot of the Soldiers in the Sledgehammer Brigade are signed up with the Fort Benning Volunteer coordinators,” Hutsell said. “This was a great opportunity for them to step out and help the community with the support of those coordinators.”
According to Hutsell, as the unit continues to inactivate, the Soldiers will continue to volunteer in the community and do their part to show their thanks for the years of support.
For more information on Volunteer Opportunities, you can contact the Army Community Service on Fort Benning, located at 7117 Baltzell Avenue, building 7, or by phone at 706-545-3016.