Photo By Scott Sturkol | Col. Sarah Fraticelli, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, and Command Sgt....... read more read more
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Col. Sarah Fraticelli, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major, hosted their first garrison town hall Aug. 27 in Building 905 at Fort McCoy.
The town hall provided an opportunity for the new garrison command team to engage directly with the Fort McCoy workforce while also providing updates from several installation organizations.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter McCall, Fort McCoy Garrison chaplain, opened the event with a prayer.
Fraticelli, who has been at Fort McCoy for just over a month, said the town hall was an important opportunity to begin building relationships with the workforce and to learn more about the installation and the people who support its mission.
“I really look forward to learning about this garrison,” Fraticelli said.
Fraticelli also praised the workforce for the care and effort put into maintaining Fort McCoy. She said that much of the work performed behind the scenes by installation employees is not always visible to Soldiers and visitors.
“We don’t see all the things that go behind the scenes,” she said, noting the work performed by range personnel, maintenance workers, gate personnel and others who keep the installation operating.
Fraticelli said her experience during her first month at Fort McCoy had given her a greater appreciation for the work required to operate and maintain the installation.
“As I’ve learned on how you all have cared for this installation, it’s been a huge eye-opener for me,” she said.
She also described Fort McCoy as a premier Army Reserve installation and a premier training base across the Army. Fraticelli said she has been working to make other Army leaders and units more aware of the training capabilities and facilities available at Fort McCoy.
“I would bring any unit here to train,” she said.
During the town hall, several Department of Defense civilians also were recognized for years of honorable and distinguished federal service through Army service awards presented by the garrison command team.
Exchange modernization nearing completion
Jesse Chamberlain, assistant store manager for the Fort McCoy Exchange, provided an update on the Exchange's ongoing modernization project.
Chamberlain, who arrived at Fort McCoy in July, said the Exchange renovation was approximately 85 percent complete.
The project was in Phase 4 of construction, with work continuing in the center and end portions of the main sales floor. The Phase 4 work was scheduled for completion Aug. 28, followed by Phase 5, which will consist primarily of punch-list and closeout work.
That phase is scheduled to run from Sept. 3 through Oct. 30, with the goal of completing the project before Nov. 1. A grand-opening event is tentatively expected in mid-November, although a final date had not been established at the time of the town hall.
DPW outlines current, future construction
Liane Haun, director of the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works, provided an extensive update on current and planned construction projects across the installation.
One current project involves a new parking area near the Installation Management Agency, or IMA, in the vicinity of Building 200. The expanded parking area will support Wisconsin National Guard operations and allow Fort McCoy to resolve an existing safety conflict involving the Scout Recce Range.
Haun also provided an update on the railroad crossing along Highway 21. A final report from the project's architectural firm determined that the panels were not properly installed by the contractor and have been cracking since their installation. A firm replacement timeline has not yet been established, although work could occur next summer.
At the airfield, a project is planned to replace the air traffic control tower. Building 100, which houses the garrison command group, is also nearing completion.
Haun also discussed several major projects planned for the future. McCoy’s Community Center is scheduled for a complete renovation. Funding also recently became available for construction of three new classrooms for Regional Training Site-Maintenance. Other planned infrastructure work includes bridge replacements, improvements to the South Post Housing wastewater lift station and replacement of water reservoirs serving the housing area.
Haun highlighted continued development of Fort McCoy's 1600 block campus, which supports transient training and mobilization operations.
MWR highlights upcoming fall, winter events
Scott Abell, director of the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR), provided an overview of upcoming MWR and Army Community Service events.
September events include the Sports Troops Golf Tournament at Cedar Creek Golf Club, the 9/11 Memorial Run and Stair Climb, and a PCS Open House hosted by Army Community Service.
October events include the Stress Less for the Holidays program, the return of the Wellness Fair at Rumpel Fitness Center, and the annual Trunk-or-Treat event at McCoy's Community Center.
November activities will include the Handmade with Honor event, a Turkey Leg Relay at Rumpel Fitness Center, the Hunter Meet and Greet at Ten Point Pub and Whitetail Ridge Chalet, and the Turkey Bowl flag-football tournament.
December will feature Fort McCoy’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at McCoy’s Community Center, along with other holiday activities including Breakfast with Santa.
Abell also encouraged Fort McCoy community members to use the My Army Post app for information about installation events, services and activities.
He said the app is being built out with Fort McCoy-specific information and provides a central location for information from MWR and other installation organizations. Fort McCoy MWR's website also remains available for event and program information.
The town hall concluded with a question-and-answer session, providing members of the workforce an opportunity to raise questions directly with installation leaders.
The Aug. 27 town hall marked the beginning of a new chapter in Fort McCoy's ongoing town-hall program under Fraticelli's leadership, continuing the installation's practice of bringing garrison leadership and workforce members together for direct communication, updates and discussion.
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 athttps://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: | 09.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2026 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 573760 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 101 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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