Last week the residents of Beaufort County made the right decision with the approval of the Beaufort County School District (BCSD) Bond Referendum. As a result of the referendum, $439 million will be invested in the many schools that serve Beaufort County, including funding for capital improvements such as a new K-5 school near May River High School and a rebuild of Hilton Head Island High School. The referendum passed with over 70 percent support, which shows that Beaufort residents overwhelmingly value the benefits of this investment into local education. However, we at the MEC want to make sure that our readers understand that this referendum, and any other improvements to our education system in Beaufort, count as improvements to our military ecosystem as well.
If you follow the military, you may already be aware that the term ‘Quality of Life’ is currently a hot topic within the Department of Defense community. Worried by underwhelming recruiting numbers across all services besides the Marine Corps (shoutout to the Eastern Recruiting Region at MCRD Parris Island!), scrutiny has been directed towards the factors that draw and keep men and women in uniform, with concerns about quality of life standards receiving much attention. The House of Representatives Armed Services Committee has even created its own panel specifically devoted to determining solutions to quality of life issues affecting military families and service members.
Quality of Life in the military can, of course, mean many things. Various recent news headlines on the topic include combating mold in barracks, providing servicemembers affordable childcare, and the length of time between moves and assignments. However, one of the most important aspects in military quality of life is the quality of a servicemember’s family experience. A Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine whose family is happy, supported, and has access to the services they require for success, is more likely to be successful.
Education is a key aspect of this idea. Every parent, military or not, wants their child to have access to good schools and military parents in particular want to be stationed somewhere that provides that access. The implications of this concept for Beaufort are clear and best summarized in the words of MEC Chairman, Col. Neal Pugliese, USMC-ret.
“Supporting the BCSD Bond Referendum is an investment in the long-term future of our military installations and the Beaufort community. Quality schools are essential for military families, and they contribute significantly to the readiness and resilience of our military personnel.”
As we all know, military installations and their surrounding communities mutually support each other with investments and services, creating an endless loop of benefits to all residents of the area. Our approved investment in the Beaufort County School District is an investment not only in the future of youth education across the County, but also one that will help ensure that these military-related benefits will continue in Beaufort County far into the future.
