Photo By Scott Sturkol | A Fort McCoy community member uses the automated car wash for a free wash on June 12,...... read more read more
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The 2020 observance of the Army’s 245th birthday was held June 12 at Fort McCoy with hundreds of Fort McCoy community members participating in the age of social distancing.
Observance events were coordinated by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR).
“While this wasn’t our usual Army birthday celebration, the overwhelming community support from our patriotic sponsors allowed us to still celebrate this important occasion,” said DFMWR Director Patric McGuane. “The incredible DFMWR team here at Fort McCoy was determined to celebrate our Army’s birthday. Their adaptability, flexibility, and agility was on full display as we were able to modify the event to safely have a real celebration.”
In past years for the observance, a free lunch celebration has been offered at either Constitution Park or at McCoy’s Community Center. Also, athletes can usually participate in the commander’s 5k run. However, with the installation still observing restrictions for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lunch and run were not held in 2020.
Instead, other events were planned with the additional safety measures in mind.
The first event was a free drive-thru breakfast held at McCoy’s Community Center, building 1571, from 7 to 9 a.m. Breakfast go-ers had options that included a doughnut, breakfast bar, coffee, and juice.
Cupcakes and fresh fruit also were available for a later snack, and free Army birthday T-shirts were given away.
“We had more than 260 people participate in the breakfast,” DFMWR Marketing Director Liz Faber.
DFMWR also organized the Army Birthday Virtual 5K. This event took place online June 8-14. Participants ran or walked around their neighborhoods, on an outdoor track, or on a treadmill and then posted a photo of their participation on the Rumpel Fitness Center Facebook page. The first 50 participants who submitted a picture with their time from a fitness tracker or smartphone app received a free T-shirt.
“We had 54 people take part in the virtual 5K,” Faber said.
DFMWR also had free car washes available for the Fort McCoy community. A free code as posted to the DFMWR Instagram and Twitter pages. “We had 106 people take advantage of the free car wash, as well,” Faber said.
Armywide, there were many other virtual and video events that were available to the Fort McCoy community as well as the general public. These events included a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Army birthday cake-cutting ceremony, and much more.
“On June 14, 2020, we recognize 245 years of defending and protecting America, and salute the generations of Soldiers who have answered the call to serve,” states an article by Headquarters, U.S. Army on www.army.mil. “No matter the challenges we face as a nation, America’s Army will always be there when needed.”
A list of all the Army birthday events that took place throughout the world can be seem at www.army.mil/article/235706/u_s_army_birthday_2020_events. Also featured on the page is the video “The Army at 245: A Tribute to America.” The video can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=L8gvqEC5JnI&feature=emb_logo.
As a reminder to the Fort McCoy community, the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area is a place at the installation to honor the Army’s history and Fort McCoy’s history. A
nd even though the Fort McCoy History Center and historic buildings at the area are not currently open, people can visit Equipment Park and Veteran’s Memorial Plaza during normal business hours to see and honor that history.
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services each year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2020 14:59 |
| Story ID: | 372838 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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