Fort Jackson Basic Training Graduation Dates For 2023

The graduation of any soldier is a time to celebrate and cherish with those who are closest to you.

Unfortunately, over the last few years, Covid-19 has brought this normally joyous occasion to a screeching halt.

For the last 2 years, Fort Jackson’s graduations have only been available via a livestream on their Facebook page.

With that said, the restrictions have finally been lifted, and friends and family can now attend Fort Jackson graduations in person!

All graduations are conducted at Hilton Field. See the dates for each below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where is Fort Jackson located?

Fort Jackson is a military training facility located in Columbia, South Carolina, where many future soldiers go for their basic training.

The location is ideal as it is situated within a reasonable distance of three large airports that allow families to come and enjoy graduation with ease.

To get there, you can fly into Columbia Metropolitan for an easy drive to the base or enter at Augusta or Charlotte if you want to enjoy the rest of the state while you are attending graduation.

Where should I stay for Ft. Jackson graduation?

Since most families attending graduation are not from the Columbia area, many choose to stay in local hotels to enjoy the event.

We want you to be as comfortable and as close as possible to the base, so we picked five of our favorite hotels to stay when attending the Fort Jackson graduation.

Special Note: Click Here to find hotels at a reduced rate in the Ft. Jackson area.

Country Inn

This cozy location has an indoor pool and many amenities to keep the whole family happy for a graduation trip.

Rooms start at $89 a night with a distance of 3.6 miles to the base.

Econo Lodge

This location has all the amenities you need to make your stay near Fort Jackson pleasant and comfortable.

Rooms start at around $72 a night and it’s less than 0.5 miles from the base.

Extended Stay America

This large facility has plenty of rooms for the whole family and is right next to the base.

You can find rooms starting at $76 a night at a distance of about 6.5 miles to the base.

Home2 Suites

This more premium option gives you a place to relax and feel taken care of when you want to relax after graduation.

Rooms start at $169 a night and the distance is 3.5 miles to the base.

Comfort Inn Columbia – Bush River

Enjoy the pools and nice rooms at this hotel chain that has everything you could need for your trip to Columbia.

Rooms start at $84 a night with a distance of about 8 miles to the base.

Related Article – What To Bring To Army Basic Training

Where can I rent a car?

You may be flying into Columbia to see that graduation, and this means you will likely want to rent a car.

Luckily for guests, there are plenty of car rental centers that allow you to get your car straight from the airport.

Some of our favorite options include:

• Avis
• Hertz
• Enterprise
• Budget

What time is graduation at Fort Jackson?

All graduation times start at 9 am and end at 10 am on Eastern Standard Time.

In addition, if you are unable to attend graduation in person, you can attend it virtually through their Facebook Livestream.

You can find links to the live stream on the official Fort Jackson Facebook page here.

In addition to a virtual graduation, the Commanding General will host a Virtual Town Hall on his Facebook page.

The Virtual Town Hall is held on Thursdays at 3:30 EST, subject to change due to the General’s schedule.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The US Army has not, does not, and will NOT charge you to view a live stream of Fort Jackson graduations, ever.

You should not click on any links in the comment sections of the official Fort Jackson Facebook page.

Here’s an example: 

You can learn more about this and other scams in this article.

How many tickets do you get for Fort Jackson graduation?

Under normal circumstances, the tickets to a graduation ceremony would be distributed by mail to the people a trainee would want to come in the weeks leading up to the event.

How do I get onto the base at Ft. Jackson?

Getting onto the base at Fort Jackson is just like getting onto any other military training facility.

The Post suggests that you enter at Gate 2 or Gate 4. Gate 4 is the main gate. There are blue lines painted on the road that you can follow to the Graduation and Family Day events at Hilton Field.

They will need to see your identification so they can match it with what they have on file. You’ll need your driver’s license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration. All must be valid and up to date.

All passengers over the age of 18 must have a valid ID, and non-citizens must have a valid passport.

Here’s the address for Gate 4, the main gate: 6271 Boyden Arbor Rd, Columbia, SC 29223. It is open from 4:30 am to 6 pm.

Note that there are security screenings in process at Hilton Field, so be prepared for a wait. Visitors must pass through a metal detector while bags are searched.  

What can I expect to see / happen at the graduation?

Generally speaking, you will see a lot of marching, and hear from a number of distinguished guests.

These guests can be anyone from retired / active-duty generals to high-ranking civilian officials and many more.

Once the ceremonies have concluded, families will be allowed to meet their Soldiers on the graduation field for pictures.

After that, your new Soldier will be given essentially a on-post day pass after the graduation ceremony. Note that they won’t be allowed to leave the base, although this policy may differ from battalion to battalion. 

What do you wear to Fort Jackson graduation?

There is no strict dress code to attend Fort Jackson graduations in person.

It is always a good idea to dress appropriately to respect the hard work put in by trainees. You should also dress for the weather to be ready for the Carolina heat.

In short, you can essentially wear what you want, but keep the above in mind.

Where can I watch a live stream of the graduation?

To watch a live or recorded version of the ceremony, the Fort Jackson Facebook page will be the best place to get stream updates and event information.

Related Article – Army ACFT Standards

Conclusion

We hope this guide has given you all the information you could need to make the most out of what is a very special day for your trainee.

References

https://home.army.mil/jackson/index.php

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Rob V.

Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics.

Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.

Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.

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Ft. Jackson Graduation

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See a list of Fort Jackson ship and graduation dates, as well as frequently asked questions we get about Army basic training graduation and what goes on.