Photo By Staff Sgt. Chelsea Weaver | From left to right: U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Godwin, South Carolina National Guard...... read more read more
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EASTOVER, S.C. – Over many years, the South Carolina National Guard has developed the McCrady Training Center in Eastover, South Carolina into the training site it is today.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Frank Chapman, former McCrady Training Center training site manager, explained, what first started as a 283-acre property used for annual training and drill weekends, and was originally called the Leesburg Training Center, slowly became the 15,000-acre training site known today as McCrady Training Center.
“In May 1977, I began working on the training center,” said Chapman. “There was not much on the training site, so we made deals with Fort Jackson and obtained old buildings Fort Jackson was going to tear down. We didn't have much of a budget, so we had to find ways to make things happen.”
At the time, with a budget of $3,000 a year for development, Chapman said they had to be a little creative. They would move a building at the end of a fiscal year, then another in the beginning of the next fiscal year. One of the buildings the staff was able to get from Fort Jackson was the training site’s chapel.
“They were going to tear it down. With some clever planning we moved it here,” said Chapman. “[South Carolina National Guard] units then donated the stained glass windows that decorate the walls.”
This chapel provided a location for service members to conduct religious services during training and remains at McCrady today.
Chapman added, “Maj. Gen. Marchant came to me one day telling me that the National Guard Bureau was going to give us money if we built a school on grounds. This agreement got us the additional 14,000-acres to work with.”
This was also the catalyst for implementing the 218th Regional Training Institute, which provides training to U.S. Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, and active duty Soldiers. Today, the training includes military occupational specialty reclassification courses for engineer and signal, officer and warrant officer commissioning schools, non-commissioned officer professional military education, instructor training, and pre-command course for company and battalion-level leadership. Currently, there is also a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve unit on site, the U.S. Navy Reserve conducts Navy Individual Augmentee Combat Training at McCrady Training Center, and a USO is on site to provide morale, welfare, and recreation needs for service members.
In order to conduct some of the developmental projects early on for McCrady, the South Carolina National Guard would use internal resources that would support the growth of the training site, as well as hone skills for Soldiers.
“In the ‘80’s we were able to use the equipment from the 122nd Engineer Battalion because we were in good with the commander at the time, which happened to be me.” joked Chapman.
The equipment could stay at McCrady during the week to be used by the full-time staff and then on the weekends be used by the engineer Soldiers who used their skills to continue the development of the training site.
Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Curtis Hallman Jr., current McCrady Training Center maintenance manager, originally came on staff at McCrady in 1984-1985 as a carpenter, while serving in the South Carolina National Guard. Throughout his career serving at the McCrady Training Center, he has assisted with many of the projects, including the movement of the buildings from Fort Jackson and creating the pond surrounded by cabins on the training site. He has seen the site grow from the original 283-acre site to what it is today and does not believe it has reached its full potential.
“We are still growing,” he added.
As the needs of the South Carolina National Guard, the National Guard Bureau, and the Department of Defense continue to adapt, there are hopes that the McCrady Training Center will continue to grow to meet the demands and remain a relevant training site for service members.
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.29.2020 12:00 |
| Story ID: | 374805 |
| Location: | EASTOVER, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 3,956 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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