Fort Jackson

“Fort Jackson trains and develops soldiers in order to build readiness at scale for our Army”, according to the Fort Jackson MilitaryINSTALLATIONS page. The Fort Jackson overview calls it “the biggest and most active Initial Entry Training center in the entire U.S Army training 50 percent of all Soldiers and 60 percent of the women entering the Army each year.” The post is in Columbia, South Carolina.

In-processing for permanent party

“All permanent party soldiers are to report to Room 200, 5450 Strom Thurmond Boulevard, during the hours of operation of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday”, the check-in page says. The office is closed on federal holidays and every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; if you arrive during that Tuesday or Thursday window, report to Room 207 for a time stamp. After duty hours, on weekends and on federal holidays, report to your unit of assignment or contact your sponsor.

If you have an approved administrative absence or PTDY for house hunting, visit your gaining unit or contact your sponsor; the page warns that absences cannot take you past your report date, or you are charged leave for the entire period. The IHG Army Hotel in Building 7550 is open 24 hours a day (803-782-9802; central reservations 877-711-8326).

Housing: Fort Jackson Family Homes

Privatized housing is managed by Fort Jackson Family Homes, a Balfour Beatty Communities property with 850 family homes in eight neighborhoods and two-, three- and four-bedroom homes for all ranks, per the government housing page (803-738-8275). As listed in October 2026, wait times were 45 to 90 days, depending on home size, rank and arrival date. The Army Housing Office, separate from Fort Jackson Family Homes, is your housing advocate and should be your first point of contact wherever you decide to live (803-751-9339).

Medical care: no emergency room

Moncrief Army Health Clinic at 4500 8th Division Rd. is Fort Jackson’s main medical facility, and “The clinic DOES NOT offer emergency room services. There are three hospital emergency rooms within 15 minutes of Fort Jackson. In case of emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911”, the health care page says. Active-duty sick call for permanent party is Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at McWethy Troop Medical Clinic, in PT or duty uniform. Information: 803-751-2273.

Schools: two DoDEA elementary schools

There are “Two elementary schools on post run by Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools for students Pre-K through sixth grade”, including Pierce Terrace Elementary School, per the education page. Seventh and eighth graders living on post attend Dent Middle School (803-699-2750), and on-post high school students attend Richland Northeast (803-699-2800). “The majority of military families living off-post are in areas served by Richland District 1 or Richland District 2.”

Before you arrive

Plan your arrival around the in-processing office’s Tuesday and Thursday closures, contact the Army Housing Office first, and know that emergencies go to a civilian emergency room, not Moncrief.