Army Mom Drives all Night to Be at Championship Meet
Benjamin Jenerette Takes 5th Place in Horry County Varsity Girls Cross Country Championship
Benjamin Jenerette's mother, U.S. Army(R) Lieutenant Katherine Jenerette left her unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri Friday afternoon and drove all night just to see her daughter race in the Horry County Cross Country Championship Saturday.
At Socastee High School, seventh grade cross country standout, Benjamin moved into second place on the the NMB High School Varisty lineup, Saturday and took 5th Place Overall marking her as one of the top young runners in the county.
North Myrtle Beach Girls Cross Country Team took second place in the Horry County Championship meet.
"It was well worth the trip to see both my son and daughter run in the meet," Jenerette said.
Two of Katherine’s children, Benjamin and Christian are on the North Myrtle Beach High School varsity cross country team. Benjamin recently won the Junior Varsity Girl’s Race competition in the cross country Pee Dee Classic meet at Francis Marion University which moved her into the Varsity lineup for the Lady Chiefs.
Jenerette' mother attended the University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina Campus on a Cross Country and Track scholarship. Katherine and Benjamin's father, Van both competed in the U.S. Army Europe Track and Field Championships in 1990 and as a 'walk-on' at USC Coastal Katherine was recognized as one of the regions top runners when she was named to the NCAA Track & Field Big South Conference in 1994.
A former North Myrtle Beach Planning Commissioner, Lieutenant Jenerette has had a fast paced year. Last spring she graduated from the U.S. Army's Airborne school at Ft. Benning, Georgia and became a member of the Army’s elite paratrooper corps. Then Jenerette returned home to run on the Republican ticket for the U.S. Congress 1st District Seat and in a 75-day ‘whirlwind’ congressional campaign finished the primary election in a solid second place in a three-man race garnering nearly 20% of the vote. Days before the June election, Katherine was back at Ft. Benning with her training unit and completed her Officer Leadership course and then she was off to Ft. Leonard Wood for more officers schooling with her branch, the Military Police Corps. Jenerette is currently back at Ft. Bragg.
“I’ve been back and forth all year,” said Jenerette. “Luckily, I’ve been able to get back to South Carolina on numerous visits with the family and for the most part we have had a fantastic summer and fall. It's just nice to be back home. ”
Jenerette, who grew up in a military family herself, volunteered for a direct commission over two-years ago and knows the challenges that it brings to her husband and four children.
“There are thousands of other soldiers, both men and women with families that are serving all over the world for our country,” said Jenerette. “I’m just a small part of a big team but I’ve always believed that service to your community and nation is part of being an American and I want my children to learn from example, not just talk. I’m really proud of my children, my husband and my parents support.”
"As a soldier it’s also good to know that your community is supporting you in serving the nation,” Jenerette continued. “and I have been fortunate to have so many of my neighbors, friends, church family, school teachers and colleagues and even some politicians giving their support and assistance to both me and my family.”
Jenerette is a U.S. Army veteran of the Persian Gulf War Operation Desert Storm and she has served as a Field Representative for the 1st Congressional District, South Carolina. Jenerette currently is a Commissioned Officer serving in the U.S. Army Reserve and as an Army Paratrooper she is assigned to the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Earlier this month, at Fort Leonard Wood, Lt. Jenerette was awarded the prestigious German Armed Forces Badge of Military Proficiency (GAFBMP) Gold medal after competition which included a 200-meter swim, track and field events including sprints, high and long jumps, shot-put, a 5K run, pistol marksmanship, a test in basic first-aid finally a timed road march of 12.5 miles with 22 pounds of gear.
