Fort McCoy community members gathered July 24 at McCoy’s Community Center to celebrate the 61st birthday of Army Community Service (ACS), recognizing more than six decades of providing programs and services that strengthen Soldiers, Families, Department of the Army civilians, retirees, and the military community.
The celebration included remarks by Lt. Col. Chad Holder, deputy commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, followed by Fort McCoy Army Community Service Director Sylvia Lopez. The event concluded with a ceremonial birthday cake, refreshments, and door prizes for attendees. The observance was organized by Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR).
Holder opened the celebration by emphasizing the enduring mission of Army Community Service and the role the organization plays in supporting military readiness.
“I want to start off by just reading their mission statement for you so you can understand the impact that this community services program provides,” Holder said. “Enhancing the well-being of military communities by fostering resilience and providing comprehensive support.”
Holder said those two concepts — resilience and support — define the organization's purpose.
“When you talk about Army Community Services, those are the two key words right there that you need to understand,” Holder said. “Resilience and support.”
He noted that ACS assists military families in many aspects of military life by offering programs and services for Soldiers, spouses, children, and other family members.
“They offer the support and resiliency that you need to make your mission happen,” Holder said. “That is the true purpose of ACS.”
Holder also reflected on the organization's history, noting that the foundation for today's Army Community Service was established by Lt. Col. Emma Marie Baird, who developed the Army's Family Services Program, which eventually evolved into ACS.
“As we celebrate the 61st birthday, we cannot remember anything without the people that go with ACS,” Holder said as he thanked Lopez and the entire ACS staff. “We want to thank her team for all of the support that they provide to the deployed community and all of the surrounding communities, the military members and their families.”
Following Holder’s remarks, Lopez highlighted the ACS team and the wide range of services available to the Fort McCoy community.
She began by noting that ACS is part of Fort McCoy's Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, sharing the directorate's mission of improving quality of life for the installation community.
“We are a proud part of DFMWR,” Lopez said. “We have a shared unified mission to provide enhanced quality of life services and programs.”
Lopez introduced members of the ACS staff and described the programs they oversee.
She recognized Nicole Ebel Bailey, who serves as one of the first points of contact for visitors seeking information about Fort McCoy and ACS services.
Lopez also highlighted Jesse Ogundu, who manages relocation services, the installation’s Lending Closet, and the Employment Readiness Program, including Fort McCoy’s Military Spouse Hiring Initiative that helps connect military spouses with employment opportunities.
She also recognized Sarah Wiedenfeld, who administers the Exceptional Family Member Program, and Brittany Sonie, who oversees the Family Advocacy Program and Parent Support initiatives.
Financial Readiness Program manager Mike Larsen was recognized for providing financial education, counseling, and other financial readiness services to members of the Fort McCoy community.
Lopez also acknowledged Military and Family Life Counselors for providing confidential, non-medical counseling services that support Soldiers, family members, and civilians across the installation.
Army Community Service was established by the Army in 1965 to provide centralized support services for Soldiers and their families. Over the past six decades, the program has expanded to include relocation assistance, financial readiness, employment support, family advocacy, exceptional family member services, volunteer coordination, information and referral services, and numerous other programs designed to improve quality of life while enhancing unit readiness and resilience.
Today’s Fort McCoy ACS continues that mission by providing comprehensive support to active-duty Soldiers, Army Reserve and Army National Guard personnel, military Families, retirees, Department of the Army civilians, and other eligible community members throughout the year.
The annual birthday celebration serves as an opportunity to recognize both the history of Army Community Service and the employees who continue to deliver programs that help strengthen military readiness by supporting the people behind the mission.
Fort McCoy has supported America’s armed forces since 1909. Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin.
The post’s varied terrain, state-of-the-art ranges, new as well as renovated facilities, and extensive support infrastructure combine to provide military personnel with an environment in which to develop and sustain the skills necessary for mission success.
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 Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on DVIDS by visiting https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/FMPAO.
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: |
07.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
07.28.2026 18:22 |
| Story ID: |
570947 |
| Location: |
FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
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27 |
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This work, Fort McCoy celebrates 61 years of Army Community Service, by Scott Sturkol, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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