On April 11th, the Leadership Hardin County Class got the opportunity to have a guided tour of Fort Knox and the chance to speak with several officers to get a better understanding of what different units do on post. The day started at the parking lot by the Patton Museum. We then traveled further on post for a great breakfast at the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division “Duke Brigade” dining facility, followed by a very informative briefing and Q&A session with the Garrison Commander, Colonel Bruce Jenkins. He described the growth of Fort Knox and its importance to the Army now and in the future.
From there, we traveled to meet some of the soldiers currently attending training with the Army Marksman Unit. These soldiers were part of the 19th Engineer Battalion. We had the opportunity to learn a little bit about what these soldiers were currently doing and had the opportunity to see and handle some of the weapons they had been firing. We also had about 30 minutes to sit and talk with the soldiers about the deployments they had been on and the one that they are going to be going on soon. After meeting with the soldiers, we were shown a video by Lieutenant Colonel John P. Lloyd commander of the 19th Engineer Battalion of some of the work that unit had completed in assisting with Hurricane Sandy aftermath.
We were then treated to an unusual lunch experience. We had Red Cross MRE’s that we attempted to heat and eat while on the bus between briefings. After lunch, we toured more of post and then went into the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) headquarters, and met Col. Christopher Wicker, deputy commanding officer of the 3d ESC. We were given a tour of the building and a short briefing. It was very interesting to hear about how that command functions and what they are responsible for.
We finished our day with a briefing at the Warrior Transition Unit. This is a relatively new program and we had not known a lot about it before our visit. This unit is one that plays a vital part to our soldier’s recovery and well-being after they have had serious injuries or health issues. The unit has grown rapidly and looks to continue growing in order to better serve our soldiers and their families.
We really enjoyed the tour today. We learned a huge amount about Fort Knox and how tight the ties between the post and the community are. We are very grateful to have had the chance to “go behind the scenes” and gain a better understanding of our installation.
About the Authors:
Allison Taylor is Assistant Branch Manager at Navy Federal Credit Union
Mike Hazzard is Division Chair for Occupational/Technical Division at Elizabethtown Community & Technical College
