DVIDS – News – Fort Stewart Launches Innovative Program to Introduce New Soldiers to Savannah’s Culture, History, and Healthy Outlets

FORT STEWART, GA – May 15, 2025

When Soldiers go to their first duty station, many may find themselves in a strange environment where they do not have knowledge or access to many of the same activities they did at their home. To solve this problem Fort Stewart’s Marne Reception Center is implementing a new component to reception, requiring Soldiers to complete a guided tour of the local area to include Savannah. The aim is to give Soldiers a healthier, more engaged start to their military journey, and to help Soldiers interact more with their local community.

“It’s about giving exposure to the healthy outlets, for our new service members that are assigned to Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield”, said Capt. Brian Oh, commander of the Marne Reception Center, 3rd Infantry Division.

This weekly event, which has been formally contracted for the next two years, is part of an enduring effort to expose first-term Soldiers to the rich history, culture and recreational opportunities of Savannah. Newly arrived Soldiers participated in guided tours of key local landmarks such as River Street and the Savannah City Market.

“One of the Commanding General’s top priorities is reinforcing protective factors to prevent harmful behavior among our soldiers,” said Oh. “Too often, new Soldiers arrive without knowing what the local area has to offer and may end up isolated in the barracks, turning to unproductive or even harmful habits. We want to change that.”

When Soldiers return to their home or barracks, many have spent the majority of the day working hard, and will oftentimes find themselves with little energy left to travel long distances and get to explore what is around the base. This leaves Soldiers with weekends being the primary time for rest and relaxation, but unfortunately many single Soldiers in the barracks will struggle to interact much with communities outside of their immediate area.

“I personally believe that the tour was very informative. As a married soldier, it gave me a lot of insight on places to go, sightsee, and take my family,” said Vincent Maes, a Soldier who had recently arrived at 3rd ID. “I actually highly recommend it. It’s really eye opening because a lot of these people don’t know the state of Georgia and what they’re walking into. It kind of gives you a clear perspective coming to Fort Stewart and the surrounding towns.”

The initiative was made based around the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) model, focusing on prevention through education, engagement and community integration. It reflects the vision of Fort Stewart leadership, particularly 3rd Infantry Division’s Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Reffeor, the division’s senior enlisted leader, who believes proactive exposure to positive outlets is crucial for Soldier readiness and resilience. Looking ahead, Fort Stewart’s leadership hopes this initiative will inspire other Army installations to integrate similar programs.

“We want this to be a model, possibly something that expands Army-wide”, said Oh. “If we can introduce healthy habits early, show Soldiers what’s out there, and get them connected with the local community, we can make a real difference.”

The program took around half a year to organize and finalize contracts but represents a long-term investment in the morale and welfare of the Army’s most vulnerable population: first-term Soldiers who are still adapting to military life and expectations.

“This is not a test run,” said Oh. “It’s an enduring effort. May 15 is significant because it’s our very first run. From here on out, every week, this will be a part of our regular soldier in-processing.”

As the first step into a Soldiers life outside of training, in-processing is an important time to transfer knowledge and skills to new Soldiers at their first duty station. The tour guide program aims to assist Soldiers by showing them what is in the surrounding community so they do not feel trapped inside.