Fort McCoy honored Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm-era veterans during a special recognition ceremony May 16 at Veterans Memorial Plaza as part of the installation’s 2026 Armed Forces Day Open House.
Organized by U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, the ceremony recognized all veterans who served during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm time frame, including those who deployed in support of the 1990-1991 Gulf War, while also highlighting the installation’s historic role in supporting one of the most significant military mobilizations of the modern era.
Held 35 years after the end of Operation Desert Storm, the ceremony served as both a tribute to Gulf War-era veterans and a reminder of Fort McCoy’s long-standing role in preparing America’s military forces for global operations.
Operation Desert Shield began Aug. 7, 1990, following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990. In response to the aggression by Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein, the United States led a multinational coalition to defend Saudi Arabia and build combat power in the region. What began as a defensive mission quickly became one of the largest military deployments since World War II, with hundreds of thousands of U.S. service members deploying to Southwest Asia.
Operation Desert Storm began Jan. 17, 1991, with a massive coalition air campaign targeting Iraqi military infrastructure, air defenses, command centers, and logistics networks. That campaign was followed by a swift ground offensive launched Feb. 24, 1991, that liberated Kuwait in approximately 100 hours. A ceasefire was declared Feb. 28, 1991.
As those operations unfolded overseas, Fort McCoy played a major role in preparing troops for deployment.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi, Fort McCoy senior commander and commanding general of the 88th Readiness Division, said the installation became a critical mobilization platform during the Gulf War.
“As we look around our installation today, we see a modern, state-of-the-art training center, but the foundation of what Fort McCoy was, was tested and proven 35 years ago when Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm commenced,” Ricciardi said. “Fort McCoy became one of the roaring engines for American combat power.”
According to Ricciardi, Fort McCoy mobilized, trained, and deployed more than 18,000 Soldiers from 148 units across the Total Force — active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard formations — in support of the Gulf War effort.
“For many of those brave men and women, the freezing temperatures in the fields of Wintry McCoy were the final stop before deploying to the sandy Kuwaiti and Iraqi deserts,” Ricciardi said.
The installation’s mobilization mission during Desert Shield and Desert Storm helped demonstrate the importance of integrated readiness across all military components — a mission Fort McCoy continues today as one of the Army’s premier Total Force training centers.
Ricciardi said the ceremony was about recognizing not only wartime achievements, but also the enduring impact of those who served.
“We gather for a profoundly important purpose, to recognize our Gulf War veterans,” Ricciardi said. “We remember your service, we value your sacrifices, and we stand proud for everything that you have accomplished.”
He noted that many veterans continued serving their communities long after military service ended.
“When you hung your uniform, you came home and became a leader,” Ricciardi said. “You became a business owner, a teacher, a pillar to our community.”
Ricciardi also credited Gulf War veterans with helping shape the next generations of military service members.
“We owe you a debt of gratitude, not just for the victory that we secured in the desert, but the legacy of excellence that you handed down to us,” he said.
Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, also spoke during the ceremony, connecting the recognition of Desert Shield/Desert Storm-era veterans with the broader significance of Armed Forces Day.
Baez Ramirez shared the history of Armed Forces Day, explaining that the observance began after the creation of the Department of Defense and the unification of the armed services under a single department. The first Armed Forces Day observance took place in 1950, with President John F. Kennedy officially designating it as a national observance in 1961.
She reminded attendees that while Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor past service and sacrifice, Armed Forces Day focuses on recognizing those currently serving.
“Today is to celebrate servicemen and women across the world right now serving in uniform,” Baez Ramirez said.
She encouraged visitors attending the open house to remember the military personnel serving globally.
“Take a minute and remember the servicemen and women around the world right now,” Baez Ramirez said. “That’s what today is for, to thank those that are out there serving and defending this great nation.”
The ceremony also highlighted the continuing partnership between Fort McCoy and the surrounding community.
Ricciardi thanked local supporters for helping military families during deployments and welcoming service members home.
“When our Soldiers deploy, you look after their families,” Ricciardi said. “When they return, you welcome them with open arms.”
Set against the backdrop of Veterans Memorial Plaza and amid the Armed Forces Day Open House festivities, the ceremony offered a moment of reflection on the service of those who answered the nation’s call during the Gulf War era and the readiness mission that continues at Fort McCoy today.
Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.”
The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”
And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”
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: |
05.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
05.27.2026 13:03 |
| Story ID: |
566227 |
| Location: |
FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: |
23 |
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