Fort Carson partners with Salvation Army for Thanksgiving

Photo By Norman Shifflett | COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — From right, Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Jason R. Mortensen, Garrison Commander Col. Sean Brown, Lucas Mortensen, Hailee Mortensen, Ginger Mortensen, Erica Brown, Amelia Brown, Madison Mortensen, and Aisling Brown help serve the nearly 3,000 meals that Fort Carson prepared for the Salvation Army on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2023.  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

11.22.2023

Story by Jordyn McCulley 

Fort Carson Public Affairs Office

FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson teamed up with Colorado Springs Salvation Army to provide 3,000 Thanksgiving meals for the elderly and less-fortunate in four neighboring cities Nov. 23, 2023.

Culinary specialist Soldier volunteers prepared 300 turkeys, 20 cases of green beans and vegetables, eight cases of stuffing and eight cases of instant mashed potatoes that were donated for the Thanksgiving meal.

“For the last 36 years Fort Carson has been cooking these meals on behalf of the Salvation Army. We had a team of 13 men and women who prepared the food for the 3,000 meals,” said Col. Sean Brown, Fort Carson garrison commander.

The culinary specialists began cooking Nov. 19, 2023, to ensure all the food would be ready by Thanksgiving.

“They worked over 72 hours straight getting these meals ready to be received by the community,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Amanda Hoxie, senior food adviser for the 4th Infantry Division.

Once the food was prepared it was distributed to Salvation Army locations in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs and Woodland Park. Bown, Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Jason R. Mortensen and their Families helped serve the meal at the Colorado Springs location.

“It’s an honor to represent the men and women of Fort Carson. Command Sgt. Maj. Mortensen and I, and our Families, come out here to give back to the community that has given so much to Fort Carson over the years,” said Brown.

Fort Carson and the Salvation Army have built a strong partnership through supporting each other over the past four decades.

“The Salvation Army and the United States Army have a long history going back to World War I, and so it was natural that they reached out to Fort Carson back in the ‘80s for a little bit of help. Fort Carson was eager to give back to the community that has given so much to Soldiers and Families,” he said.

• Date Taken: 11.22.2023
• Date Posted: 12.20.2023 10:07
• Story ID: 460430
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US