Fort Jackson welcomes new commanding general Maj. Gen. Daryl Hood

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (WIS) - A new leader has officially taken command on post at Fort Jackson. Major General Daryl Hood was appointed as Fort Jackson’s 54th commanding general at Hilton Field on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Born in Texas and raised in Georgia, Major General Daryl Hood graduated from the University of Georgia in December 1991 with a degree in Agriculture technology management.

Throughout his nearly 40 year career, Maj. Gen. Hood has served in a variety of command and staff assignments located in the United States, Europe, South Korea, Middle East, and Central Asia

His most recent assignment was at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, where he served as commanding general of the 20th chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosives command.

“With 39 years in, I certainly enjoy what I do,” Maj. Gen. Hood said, “It’s never really about me, it’s about our soldiers, (and) why we serve.”

Maj. Gen. Hood assumed command from Maj. Gen. Jason Kelly on Friday, August 23rd, 2024. Maj. Gen. Kelly took command on Aug. 31, 2022, honored to bring in the new commander on Post roughly two years later.

Maj. Gen. Hood was humbled seeing hundreds come out Friday to celebrate the change of command on Post.

“It certainly is a wonderful opportunity because we are transitioning civilians that raise their right hand decided that they wanted to take the oath and serve,” Maj. Gen. Daryl Hood said, “It really isn’t about General Hood, it’s more about Fort Jackson, the Army Training Center, and how we continue to do our part for the Army at large.”

Each year, Fort Jackson is responsible for training roughly half of all soliders entering the Army, and more than 60% of women entering the Army each year.

Although there have been over fifty commanding generals before Maj. Gen. Hood, he hopes to continue modernizing the Army, strengthening the connection between community and Army Training Center.

“When they finally finish their time serving in the military, they will return to the community better than they were when they departed,” Maj. Gen. Hood said,” We’re looking at training and developing leaders, ensuring quality of life, and again engaging the community.”

Under his leadership, Maj. Gen. Hood hopes Fort Jackson will utilize the future year defense plan to show them the best ways to grow the Army Training Center, and military as a whole.

“Our conventional force that is looking at a modenization window over time.,” Maj. Gen. Hood said, “Our Army Future’s command, our training & doctrine command, those commands are really joined together to look at conceptually how do we transform to look at 2030 out to 2040.”

Ma. Gen. Hood says the Future Solider Preparatory Course is one tool that’s been helping modernize the Army.

He says a lot of people are unaware of what it takes to serve in the Army and that this program is helping some people now get over the hump.

“Perhaps physically, they were not where they needed to be or, from an academic standpoint, the aptitude perhaps not where they need it to be,” Maj. Gen. Hood said, “They’re participating in that because they were close; that allowed them to get across the finish line.”

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