When I began thinking about our Thankful issue, I found myself considering all the different directions we could take. There is certainly no shortage of things to be grateful for here in the Lowcountry. But as our country celebrates its 250th birthday, I kept coming back to something that feels especially meaningful in our hometown: the incredible military presence that surrounds us. From the service members and veterans who call Charleston home to the families who stand beside them, we are incredibly fortunate to live in a community so deeply connected to those who have dedicated themselves to serving our country. This month, I wanted to pause and simply say thank you.
There are few places where America’s military history feels as close as it does in Charleston. From the shoreline of Sullivan’s Island, we can quite literally look across waters where Americans fought for the idea of a nation that was still being born. It is there at Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter, in the ships moving through our waterways, the aircraft overhead, and the uniforms we see in our restaurants, schools, churches, and neighborhoods.
For generations, Charleston has been a city of service.
In 1776, just days before the Declaration of Independence was adopted, British warships attacked the unfinished fort on Sullivan’s Island. American defenders held their ground for hours, and the British fleet eventually withdrew. The fort would later become Fort Moultrie, and the palmetto tree became an enduring symbol of South Carolina.
Two hundred and fifty years later, the Lowcountry remains deeply connected to the people who serve our country.
EVERY BRANCH. ONE COMMUNITY.
Charleston’s relationship with the military cannot be defined by a single uniform.
The Air Force has a major presence through Joint Base Charleston and its globally important air mobility mission. From its fleet of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to the aircrews who fly them, the base plays a critical role in moving people, equipment and supplies wherever they are needed.
The Navy’s roots here run deep, from Charleston’s historic naval presence to today’s Naval Nuclear Power Training Command and Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, where sailors prepare for some of the most technically demanding responsibilities in America’s military.
The Army is woven into the Lowcountry’s history through generations of coastal defense, engineering and logistics, including the longstanding presence of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District.
Marines have trained, served and deployed alongside other branches throughout Charleston’s military community, while Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, just down the South Carolina coast, has introduced generations of Marines to the Palmetto State.
And few services have a relationship with Charleston quite like the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard traces more than two centuries of operations in Charleston, protecting our waterways, ports and coastline while conducting missions that range from maritime security to search and rescue.
In June 2026, that history came full circle when the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle sailed into Charleston as part of the celebration surrounding America’s 250th anniversary.
The sight of that ship entering Charleston Harbor offered an extraordinary image: a modern generation of service members sailing past shores defended by Americans 250 years earlier.
But the military presence here is about far more than bases and missions. It is about people.
They are our neighbors. They coach our children’s teams, shop at our local businesses, sit beside us at church, and send their children to our schools. Their spouses build careers here. Their families become part of ours.
When we thank someone for serving, we should remember that military service rarely belongs to one person alone. Behind so many service members stands a family that serves in its own way.
There are spouses navigating another move. Children growing up with a parent away on deployment. Birthdays celebrated over video calls. Holidays missed. Ordinary Tuesday nights spent apart.
Charleston knows these families well, and our community is better because they are here.
Charleston has spent nearly 250 years witnessing the many chapters of America’s military story. Today, another generation stands watch over the same harbor once defended by Americans with little more than palmetto logs and sand.
The uniforms have changed. The technology has changed. The world has changed. But service remains.
So this November, as we reflect on all we have to be thankful for, take a moment to notice the service members and military families living among us.
To everyone who has worn the uniform, to every family who has shared in the sacrifice, and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice:
We are thankful.
The military presence here is about far more than bases and missions. It is about people.
When we thank someone for serving, we should remember that military service rarely belongs to one person alone. Behind so many service members stands a family that serves in its own way.