SC Military Department Joint Services Detachment Promotes Colonel Charles Helmoth Ham To Brigadier General
April 10, 2013
MG James E. Lockemy and two former JSD Commanders participate in ‘highly deserved’ promotion ceremony
COLUMBIA, SC – April 10, 2013 – During a brief ceremony following the March Drill, Colonel (P) Charles H. Ham M.D., of Columbia, SC, was promoted to the rank of Brigadier
General by MG James E. Lockemy, Commander of the South Carolina Military Department Joint Services Detachment. In September 2012, COL Ham earned the Gasden Award for his outstanding leadership, selfless service, devotion to military duty and exceptional performance as Deputy Director of the JSD Medical Directorate and his extraordinary service as a consultant to the military entrance processing station at Fort Jackson, S.C.
“I had the tremendous honor of recruiting COL Charles Ham into the SCMD JSD,” said O. Eugene Powell Jr., former JSD Commander. “Today is closure for me. Although I had the distinct privilege of working alongside and witnessing COL Ham’s continuing dedication and commitment during my tenure as JSD Commander, the one thing I didn’t get to complete was to promote him. It is a great pleasure to see this finally happen and it is well deserved. Thank you COL Ham for your service.”
“Colonel Ham is an outstanding officer and an outstanding physician,” said MG John B. Grimball, former JSD Commander. “His record is exemplary with 41 years of federal service to our nation and a graduate of the War College. Even after his retirement, when the call came to serve again in 2005, he answered that call by deploying to Germany to assist soldiers coming out of combat. And even now, he continues to serve shoulder to shoulder with the SC Military Department’s Joint Services Detachment. This is a highly deserved promotion and I want to commend MG Lockemy for his efforts in seeing this through.”
After his promotion ceremony, Brigadier General Ham commented, “one only has to turn on the television or radio to hear of all the bad things happening across our nation and it would be easy to get discouraged thinking those things are the norm. However, once a month, I have the pleasure of coming to Drill, where I work alongside dedicated individuals who give of their time,
talent and money to make a positive difference. The members of this very unique unit are great people and I am so proud to be associated with each and every one. I’m also grateful to my family and friends who have supported my efforts, especially my lovely wife, Joyce. Thank you all for allowing me to be a part of this very worthwhile unit. God bless this unit, the State of South Carolina and the United States of America.”
According to the Adjutant General of the State of South Carolina, MG Robert E. Livingston, Jr., “the SCMD Joint Services Detachment “serve without pay, provide expertise to support the Youth ChalleNGe Academy, the South Carolina Military Museum and assist in supporting our National Guard troops in preparation for deployment, during deployment and after they return from active duty deployment from locales across the globe. Additionally, JSD has worked tirelessly to promote tax relief for those members of the South Carolina State Guard who also serve without pay.”
For more information, visit www.scjsd.com or contact SCMD JSD Public Information Officer LTC Angela Stringer at 864.634.4221 or [email protected].
About the Joint Services Detachment
The South Carolina Military Department’s Joint Services Detachment is composed of legal, medical, governmental, business and law enforcement executives who assist the Adjutant General in developing and reviewing policy. The Joint Services Detachment is an organization unique to the South Carolina Military Department.
