Photo By Scott Sturkol | Fort McCoy’s Senior Commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi (center), commanding...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy celebrated the Army Reserve’s 117th birthday April 23 with a special celebration at McCoy’s Community Center that included free food, cake, and games and fun for all attendees.
Fort McCoy’s Senior Commander, Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi, commanding general of the 88th Readiness Division, led the Army Reserve birthday observance.
Ricciardi discussed the importance of the Army Reserve’s contribution to America and more as the celebration got started.
“Since its inception, the Army Reserve has played a pivotal in enhancing strength, flexibility, and effectiveness of the United States Army,” Ricciardi said. “We have served as a force multiplier … Throughout history, the Army Reserve has proven essential in adapting to the nation’s evolving needs.
“We’ve mobilized quickly, supporting military and civilian agencies during multiple emergencies with capabilities such as aviation, search and rescue, extraction, civil affairs, and engineering,” Ricciardi said. “We acknowledge this all while continuing our primary mission of being a reserve force ready to deploy anywhere in the world. … Our core fighters, you all in this room, play a pivotal in ensuring the nation’s effective security are prepared to seamlessly transition between civilian life and military service, maintaining the deep readiness to respond to national emergencies in a matter of minutes.
“The dedication, discipline, and specialized training, enables us to perform under pressure in that first environments, whether supporting peacekeeping efforts, disaster response, or engaging active combat,” he said. “This adaptability ensures that the Army Reserve stands ready to answer the call, to provide critical capabilities in ensuring the Army’s readiness for every mission, helping the course make any challenge. Today as we celebrate this milestone, we honor all those who have served and continue to serve, ensuring the security and freedom of our great nation, and standing shoulder to shoulder, protecting the liberties and ideals of the United States of America. Happy 117th birthday Army Reserve, twice the citizen, combat ready. Readiness is in our name. Thanks everyone.”
The Army Reserve’s birthday is always observed on April 23 — harkening back to April 23, 1908. The Army Reserve website at https://www.usar.army.mil/ArmyReserveBirthday described why observing the birthday and the history of the Army Reserve is so important.
“Since the activation of the Medical Reserve 117 years ago, the United States has mobilized more than one million Army Reserve Soldiers in defense of the nation,” the website states. “On any given day, more than 20,000 Citizen Soldiers are assigned across the Department of Defense or mobilized in support of Combatant Commands around the globe. Thousands more participate in overseas deployment training or annual joint exercises that strengthen our alliances and partnerships around the world.”
Once the cake was officially cut, attendees were invited to partake in the free food which Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFWMR) officials said was paid for by the Gary Sinise Foundation.
After the food and cake were had by the community, then games were set up for participants to enjoy.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”
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 nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 00:25 |
| Story ID: | 497093 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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