Exploring Your New World (PCS to Columbia SC)
Exploring Your New World
(PCSing and being stationed at Fort Jackson)
When you are a member of the military moving or PCS’ing -a Permanent Change of Duty Station for those of you who have managed to elude such a situation – there are many things that must happen in a usually short amount of time.
Even in our situation where we had several months to find a suitable home, there is still a sense of urgency. You find yourself completely dependent upon the recommendations of others, and while that is always a good way to go, you need to remember that they are most likely going on limited information as well. They are simply relaying what they were told when they moved to that station.
It’s a cycle that unfortunately can leave out some great communities just as deserving of attention.
Fort Jackson fits this situation perfectly. While there are certainly areas that you should avoid(call me for details), there are so many other wonderful areas that are worth your attention.
Forest Acres has some truly lovely gems in its area, one just needs to be mindful and spend the time passing through the area at key moments of the day. Evening hours and peak commute times are my two recommendations for most areas being considered.
Another jewel that my job as a real estate agent introduced me to has been the town of Lugoff(pronounced Lou-Golf). For a military family, specifically a drill instructor service member, this area might prove to be a bit of a commute, but if you are not facing round-the-clock reporting to Jackson then it just might be the haven you’ve been looking for.
Where I grew up in Louisiana, when someone asked you where you lived, you told them the street name. If they wanted more details from there, you started naming neighbors – who were also my relatives. It really was that small of a community!
To say it was a culture shock moving to Columbia is an understatement.
Here, you describe where you live by subdivisions or neighborhoods. Street names will get you a clouded expression, but if you say the community name you can just make out the exclamation mark above their heads as they suddenly understand.
The town of Lugoff, however, tends to break this pattern. Almost in a feeling of angst, the communities here seem to fight against conforming to the new normal of overnight subdivisions. And while homes are declared within “communities” you will not pass many imposing barriers that make one feel as if they need a ticket to cross onto the street.
Lugoff, and its neighboring city Elgin, still possess that country feel without sacrificing hours of driving to reach it. And more and more people are searching for exactly that location. It’s like watching a tide slowly turn as people move away from subdivision and towards small-town U.S.A again.
It is just one more way that I’ve learned in our time here that the Fort Jackson area does indeed have a community to fit just about anyone’s needs or desires, you just have to get out there and find it. And when you think about it, learning about new places and new areas is really what the core of being a military family is all about. We just have to embrace the change and explore our new worlds.
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