Third Army advance team arrives Published July 20, 2010 By Sgt. Beth Lake Third Army Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Third Army's advanced party arrived here July 1, in preparation for the closure of Fort McPherson, Ga., in 2011 and the unit's move to the Sumter area. The 22 Soldiers in the ADVON party consist of a wide variety of jobs from administrative representatives to training noncommissioned officers to a public affairs noncommissioned officer, Capt. Curtis Bowe, Third Army ADVON party officer in charge, explained. "Right now the Third Army's mission here is to receive and inprocess incoming Soldiers as they come into Shaw and prepare them for operations; whether they are forward operations in Kuwait or temporary duty back at Fort McPherson," Captain Bowe said. The group will work out of the newly finished Headquarters and Headquarters Company building until the main headquarters is completed. Staff Sgt. Peter Yokel, ADVON party computer support noncommissioned officer in charge, came to Shaw AFB from Fort McPherson with his wife and three children. While on leave, they enjoyed getting to know what the area has to offer. "We went to the Sumter Museum in downtown Sumter and saw a period house and some old log cabins," Sergeant Yokel said. "We also saw the beach. There is a state park down there that is really cheap to get on." Yokel has chosen to live on base with his family and is sending his eldest son to one of the elementary schools on base. "So far in processing has been pretty good," he said. "The housing office answered all the questions I had and even answered some questions I didn't know I had. They set me up for success. It's been the easiest move I've done so far." Bowe brought his wife and son here from Fort McPherson. He will be living off base with his family but will only have a five-minute commute to work. "The community has been very welcoming of our family coming in," Captain Bowe said. "I didn't know what to expect because this is primarily an Air Force community but they have embraced us and are willing to do what they can to welcome Third Army."