Photo By Samantha Harms | Children climb on a pirate ship during Demo Day May 17, 2025, at the GroundPlay...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas —The Great Place hosted numerous morale-raising events for the Fort Hood community across 2025, bringing competition, fun and giving.
Wild West Night The then-Fort Cavazos Spouses’ Club, now The Great Place Spouses’ Club, hosted its 39th annual Wild West Night March 29, 2025.
The event garnered more than 200 people in attendance and had line dancing, casino games, food and drink and a jail cell where attendees could pay to lock up others at Wild West Night for “offenses” including having too much fun or being a known accomplice to “offenses.”
The event also featured over 80 silent auction items and 12 live auction items donated by local businesses, brigades and Spouses’ Club members.
“Wild West Night is the (then) Fort Cavazos Spouses’ Club’s biggest fundraising event – and it’s for everyone,” said Niki Strong, then-president of the Spouses’ Club. “We love seeing the support from both our military members and the local civilian community. Every dollar raised at this event goes right back into the community through our grants program.”
For 2nd Lt. Paige Fixemer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 36th Engineer Brigade, events that allow opportunities to donate and fundraise like Wild West Night are great.
“I think any opportunity we have to give back to the community that does so much for us is super important,” she said. “So providing families and kids with what they need is vital to our survival, but it’s also just building good relationships with everyone around us.”
Ben Hogan Classic More than 200 people played in the 13th annual Ben Hogan Foundation Classic Golf Scramble, hosted jointly by the Ben Hogan Foundation and Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation April 25, 2025, at The Courses of Clear Creek.
Participants were treated to a free, three-person scramble with swag bags, free breakfast and lunch, games for prizes between holes, and raffle giveaways.
“It’s one of the greatest things ever put on,” said Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Scott, 36th Engineer Brigade. “… It’s just amazing how (the foundation) comes out here, they take care of all the Soldiers. It’s one of the greatest days for morale and welfare you can have.”
Staff Sgt. Tyler Tamberelli, 418th Contract Support Brigade, agreed.
“Having events like this — this is a very high operational tempo installation — it gives people a chance to detach from their busy schedules and come out, just relax and enjoy a day,” he said. “… That’s beyond important for the welfare of Soldiers.”
Chad Cruson, executive director of the Ben Hogan Foundation, gave remarks before the classic kicked off, speaking about the joy in hosting the scramble.
“We’re very thrilled and honored to be here for (the scramble) and, hopefully, the 14th year will be just as great on the weather,” he said. “This is a great way for us to thank you for your service, give you a day to, hopefully, have a blast and enjoy some golf and camaraderie.”
GroundPlay Outdoor Fitness Family Park The Great Place opened the GroundPlay Outdoor Fitness Family Park, an outdoor facility that features a group fitness space, a multi-use court, a playground, workout stations with various types of durable outdoor fitness equipment, a track and a seating area with picnic tables, May 16, 2025.
“This park stands as a testament to our enduring commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our Soldiers and families here at The Great Place,” said Col. Lakicia Stokes, then-U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander. “When we began this journey last year, we weren’t just building a facility. We were building a stronger community. This park, the first of its kind in the Army, represents more than just new equipment or courts. It provides a dynamic space for physical fitness, recreation and camaraderie. It embodies our commitment to holistic health, mind, body and spirit.”
The park was funded by Installation Management Command at a cost of $2 million and built by Kompan, a company that designs, manufactures and installs playground and outdoor fitness sites. It was created as a way to support family-friendly fitness.
“What makes me proud of this is that it’s a one-of-a-kind facility that we have here,” said Brad Pittam, sales director for solution partners at Kompan. “There’s nothing else like this in the world, let alone the nation. We’ve got over 40,000 square feet of fitness and play ready to be opened up and for kids and families to enjoy.”
GroundPlay is open 7:30 a.m. to dusk daily. It is located behind Abrams Physical Fitness Center on 58th Street.
Armed Forces Men’s Soccer Championship Fort Hood hosted the Armed Forces Men’s Soccer Championship July 25-30, 2025, with All-Army soccer also holding its trial camp at the installation as well.
The final championship game was between Army and Air Force, the Air Force prevailing 1-0 for the second year in a row.
“We have that camaraderie and that chemistry that’s just been built up over the years, and we’ll always fight for each other, and I think that’s what helped us get the win today,” said Air Force Capt. Max Sole, a defender for the team stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, and a member of the championship’s All-Tournament Team.
While Army did not have the years of teamwork behind them, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Raul Almendarez, head coach of the All-Army men’s soccer team, said the Soldiers worked hard to build cohesion.
“The hardest part is building chemistry, and I must say that this team built the fastest chemistry in the last four years that I’ve been coming out here,” Almendarez said. “Within a week, the chemistry was built. Cohesion was there. They were supportive of each other.”
The camaraderie is the best part of competing Sole said.
“The biggest thing I’ve enjoyed about soccer is the amazing friends I’ve made playing,” Sole explained. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership and what it takes to be a part of a team and just being able to kind of find your role within a team. So, it’s been an amazing experience getting to play soccer and learn a bunch of life lessons in the process.”
Those who wish to see the services battle it out again will be able to check it out on the pitch once more at Fort Hood March 27-April 4, 2026.
Thanksgiving basket giveaway Fort Hood’s annual Thanksgiving basket giveaway provided about 1,100 meals to Soldiers and families, including frozen turkeys, bags of fresh apples and potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and pie.
The event originally planned to donate 600 meals from Central Texas Food Bank, but after the lapse of appropriations, CTFB increased the number of meals to reach more Soldiers and families, as well as furloughed Department of the Army civilians.
“In all honesty, this could not have been done without the support of the Central Texas Food Bank and their team there,” expressed Chaplain (Maj.) Stephen Ekblad, officer in charge of the event, 504th Military Intelligence Brigade. “They coordinated to gather all the food, to put it all together, to get it all set for us, to deliver it, so that all we had to do is say, ‘Here’s how many; here are the names.’”
Chaplains, unit ministry teams and other Soldiers from around the installation distributed the food through four lanes.
While the baskets nourished bodies, the event nourished the spirit, said Pvt. Kwanye Jarvis, 2nd Chemical Battalion, 48th Chemical Brigade.
“It’s a certain feeling that people get when they know that others care about them, and that others are doing stuff like this because not everyone has homes to go to for Thanksgiving or family,” he said. “So just the environment, the group that we have, the personal family that we have with our brothers and sisters in arms, I feel like that is the most important.”
| Date Taken: | 01.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2026 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 555937 |
| Location: | TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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