U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Museum

Nate Smith, Fort Jackson, Basic grad week.

Came for family day. Nice place

I was an 18 YO Trainee 54 years ago at Ft. Jackson. That was in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam war. I turned 73 just a few days ago and how things have changed!! I didn’t make it to Nam but for the hundreds of thousands who did and especially for those who didn’t make it back home alive, I honor you and your memory. There are people who say that we lost that War. INCORRECT! We WON that War. NEVER FORGET IT! The Administration who controlled it from DC lost it BUT the American fighting man won this fight. You can be very very proud of those who served and for those who gave their all.

I lost a Cousin over there. He was an Engineer. Unfortunately, he succumbed to Malaria. You see the men who fought in Vietnam had to fight the environment in which they lived. A friend told me that his name should not be on the WALL! Why? Because he wasn’t shot like other men in the War!
My response? Well he surely wasn’t at home or in the USA, right? How ridiculous to think in this way! It doesn’t matter; if a person is killed or dies from a disease, if they are wearing that OD Green Uniform, they all count for a loss to our Nation.

God Bless America!

I was there in 1984, and I am still having problems with PTSD after the way I was treated. I feel sorry for anyone in the Guards and Reservists who have to train here. I had a cast on my leg all the way to my hip, and Drill Sgt Dodge made my life there HELL. I'm so happy I had backing from my family, my Mother called the Adjutant General of Iowa to get me out of there before I had a nervous breakdown. During graduation, I got my certificate, and then they ripped it out of my hands because I had a waiver for the last PT test run in front of my family. It got worse when everyone got to move on to their AIT Posts and I sat alone in the Barracks in the corner just waiting for an NCO to come yell at me for anything they could come up with. There were several deaths from heat, and I had a heat stroke 🥵 and Drill Sgt. Dodge was nasty to me about it. After they got the call from Iowa, I was called to the office and got reamed because as they said,"We don't appreciate parents calling and turning us in for anything. " I finally got to be moved to Ft Lee, Virginia. I was still so paranoid about any male figure, I cried the whole bus ride from point to point. I found out it was like going from night to day. I had a totally different reception. Thanks to Drill Sgt Sill and Drill Sgt DeJesus. I wouldn't recommend Ft Jackson to anyone.
Vicki Holm-Zimmerman

We traveled from Illinois to SC. We went to the Field first and then the Museum! Both Beautiful. My daughter graduated and they held her ceremony here! It was stunning! They whole experience was wonderful. The stands were large and roomy. There were liaisons helping people and traffic. Hands down the coolest place to have such a large crowd!

Enjoyed all the history and wonderful memories I made with both of my son's October 2016 & August 2022

Had a wonderful family day eating, watching a movie, going to the museum and just spending time with our son today. So happy and sad at the same time!!