Col. Jason Wolter, garrison commander of Fort Stewart, told officials at the Liberty County countywide planning workshop the population of the fort was probably at its lowest for the forseeable future.
“We’re as low now as we’re going to be,” Wolter said.
The commander said the division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team was now fully deployed to Korea where they will remain for nine months.
He said the 2nd Brigade was converting to an armored brigade. In line with that, Wolter said 28 tanks had arrived at Fort Stewart to strengthen the brigade. Fort Stewart has an impressive array of live fire ranges and the Army plans on putting them to good use.
“It’s going to get loud,” the colonel said, “It’s the sound of freedom.”
The 3rd ID’s National Guard partner, the 48th Brigade, recently finished a round of training and will be returning to Fort Stewart this spring to prepare for a training mission to the Joint Readiness Training Center in Louisiana.
This would mean that the Georgia Guard unit would be ready for deployment in the fall.
“That unit is on a pie chart somewhere to deploy overseas,” Wolter said.
The colonel said there was a possibility that Fort Stewart might become the home of one of the six Army’s Security Force Assistance Brigades.
The SFAB includes about 800 soldiers who are specially trained

compared to the role of observer/controllers at the Army’s National Training Center in California and the JRTC in Louisiana. The first FSAB is at Fort Benning and the second is setting up at Fort Bragg.
Wolter said he “wants to reduce any artificial barrier between us,” the civilian and military communities. He urges people to come on post to play golf, bingo and take advantage of other opportunities. He said a big homecoming ceremony is planned for May 18 when the division headquarters will be returning from Afghanistan.
A more traditional—and bigger—July 4 celebration on post is planned to feature a large number of traditional festival activities, as well special military touches like a 50-gun salute.

Parker can be reached by email at joeparkerjr@hotmail.com.