Army housing is a limited resource that may be taken for granted, unless you are one of the many Families looking for a place to live.
Capt. Patrick Duffy, commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment and his Family received the keys to their home at Fort Jackson during a ceremony, Aug. 6.
Duffy moved into one of the new homes built by Fort Jackson Family Homes.
“Today represents more than the completion of 19 homes,” said Theresa Steele, Balfour Beatty Communities vice president. “It reflects the strength of the long-standing partnership between Balfour Beatty Communities and the U.S. Army.”
The new homes are both quad and duplex style homes that range from three-bedroom, two and half baths to four-bedroom, two and half baths. Some are ADA-accessible and have playgrounds nearby designed for children 2 to 12 years old.
Col. David G. Gaugush, garrison commander, said increasing housing inventory was a “monumental” day for Army Families.
Army housing is something that you can take for granted “if you’ve never been part of a military community and you don’t know what that means to live among those that reside and work on an installation,” he said. “Like any resource, it’s limited in nature, and so we take this opportunity for an increase in our housing inventory as an important and a monumental day because of what it means to the families.
"One of the great products and services and amenities (on post) is our Army housing, and this is a significant increase in the inventory of Fort Jackson homes.”
The real impact of the new houses is the effects on Army Families.
“This is actually really about the Army Family that’s going to be occupying those homes,” Gaugush said. “There’s a more intimate thing that’s going to happen here in this neighborhood. If you drive around Fort Jackson today and you go through the neighborhoods, you’re going to see children playing. You’re going to see spouses walking together. You’re going to see some service members coming home for lunch. This is not just a convenience or an amenity. It’s a way of life.
“This is going to be a place where that family is going to make memories. Their children are going to make memories. It’s going to be a formative experience in their lives. One day, some of these kids are going to come back here and show their kids one of the places where they were raised and what it meant to them and how mom and dad served the nation.”
Duffy had been living off post, but these quarters will take some of the burden off his Family.
“My wife, Tatiana and our kids are super excited to move on post,” Duffy said. “Honestly, its going to be a great help. My wife will be working with (Child, Youth Services) next month so she will be moving closer to work.”