Retiree Appreciation Days 2008             Susanne Kappler        Leader Staff

Some of the retirees attending the Retiree Recognition Ceremony on Darby Field Saturday have been retired from military service for more than 40 years. No matter how much time has passed, though, having served the United States creates a bond among all service members. For Gerald Fryer, an Army retiree who received a Purple Heart during the Vietnam War, attending the ceremony is an expression of that connection. “This is our way of saying, ‘Thank you,’ and letting the troops know we appreciate what they’re doing,” he said. The appreciation is mutual.  2nd Lt. Sorepa Pakileata-Gallahar, 369th Adjutant General Battalion, who was one of a number of active duty Soldiers who attended the ceremony, said she came to show her support for the retirees. The ceremony was part of Fort Jackson’s Retiree Appreciation Days, which were held Friday and Saturday. More than 1,600 retirees and family members gathered on Fort Jackson to attend the event, which featured golf and bowling tournaments, a dinner and dance, the Retiree Recognition Ceremony and the Retiree Expo and Health Fair. Jerry Browning, who served on active duty with the Army as well as in the National Guard and in the Army Reserve, made the trip all the way from Johnson City, Tenn. “(My wife and I) went to Fort Campbell, Ky., last year for retiree days and we decided to come down here this year. I was here in 1963 (for basic training) and hadn’t been back since,” he said.  More than 1,000 participants attended the Retiree Expo and Health Fair, which included health tests and screenings as well as information booths from numerous organizations. Lunch was provided by the Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation. James Bailey, who retired after 35 years of combined service in the Air Force and the Army, appreciated the services available during the Expo. “I come here to stay abreast of all the benefits, for some of the medical tests they run and to get information brochures. And I always enjoy a good meal and the fellowship,” he said. For Hardin “Bobby” Jones, however, nothing could beat his experience during the golf tournament. The Army retiree scored a hole-in-one on the par-3, 151-yard sixth hole.  “I guess I have to live up to my name,” he joked in reference to golf legend Bobby Jones. Another highlight of the event was Friday’s no-tap bowling tournament at Century Lanes Bowling Center. Walter Greene, an avid bowler who has been retired from the Army for almost 10 years, came out for the fun and camaraderie. “This is my first time (in the tournament),” he said. “Somehow, I missed it before. I saw it in the newspaper this year and thought, ‘Why not?’” Albert Brackett, retirement services officer for the Directorate of Human Resources, was pleased with the two-day event. “The 2008 Retiree Appreciation Days celebration was a huge success. The overall attendance (numbers) exceeded (those of) last year’s event,” he said. “Many of the retirees stated that they really enjoyed every aspect of the event and are looking forward to attending the RADs that are hosted on other installations.”