More than 800 visitors attended the 2026 Armed Forces Day Open House at Fort McCoy on May 16, continuing a long-standing Army tradition of strengthening relationships between military installations and the communities they serve while offering the public a firsthand look at military readiness, history, and service.
Held in Fort McCoy’s historic Commemorative Area, the free public event featured military displays, historical exhibits, interactive activities, live music, and a special recognition ceremony honoring Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm-era veterans. The event also demonstrated how Army community engagement and strategic outreach efforts help strengthen public understanding and support for military missions across the United States.
Organized by U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy with support from numerous installation partners, the event reflected a mission extending far beyond military training. Public events such as Armed Forces Day observances, installation open houses, military appreciation events, and historical commemorations allow communities to connect directly with Soldiers, Army civilians, and military families while building trust and transparency between the Army and the American public.
During remarks at the event, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Commander Col. Sheyla Baez Ramirez emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships between the Army and surrounding communities while recognizing the critical role community support plays in sustaining military readiness and operations.
“To our community partners that stand here today, shoulder-to-shoulder with Fort McCoy, we want to thank you for your support,” Baez Ramirez said. “When our Soldiers deploy, you look after their families. When they return, you welcome them with open arms. You were the heartbeat behind the uniform, and we cannot thank you enough for your unwavering patriotism.”
Army leaders across the force have long recognized that strong community relations are essential to maintaining support for military readiness, training, and operational missions. Military open houses and public events allow Americans to directly connect with Soldiers and military families while strengthening transparency, trust, and understanding between the Army and the communities it serves.
Through community engagement programs, public outreach events, school partnerships, historical preservation efforts, and strategic communication initiatives, Army installations help foster greater public awareness about the role military readiness plays in national defense.
For installations such as Fort McCoy — Wisconsin’s only U.S. Army installation — those relationships remain especially important. Since its establishment in 1909, Fort McCoy has supported the training and mobilization of military forces through World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the Global War on Terrorism, and ongoing readiness missions supporting today’s Army and joint force.
Events such as the Armed Forces Day Open House give visitors opportunities to see firsthand the people, equipment, and missions supporting national defense while also helping the Army maintain transparency with the public it serves.
Baez Ramirez also emphasized the continued importance of readiness and community support for the Army mission.
“Let us ensure that our total force remains trained, ready, and lethal so we can meet the challenges of the future,” she said. “To our community, thank you for supporting Fort McCoy every way that you can. Thank you, everybody, for supporting the United States of America.”
That spirit of connection was visible throughout the day as families explored a wide range of exhibits and activities designed to educate and entertain visitors of all ages.
Hands-on activities in building 905 included sandbag filling, personalized military identification tags, camouflage face painting, marksmanship activities, and informational exhibits from numerous Army organizations and partner agencies. Military vehicle displays allowed guests to get close to modern tactical equipment while Soldiers answered questions and interacted directly with visitors. For many younger attendees, climbing inside military equipment became one of the most memorable experiences of the day.
The Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch also drew large crowds with its wildlife display featuring animals found on post, including turtles and snakes. Bus tours, interactive exhibits, and music by the 204th Army Band further contributed to the event’s welcoming atmosphere.
The event additionally highlighted Fort McCoy’s historic Commemorative Area, one of the installation’s most visible examples of combining Army historical preservation efforts with public education and outreach.
Originally dedicated in 1995 as the World War II Commemorative Area, the site has grown into an 11-acre historical complex featuring preserved World War II-era troop buildings, the Equipment Park, Fort McCoy History Center, and Veterans Memorial Plaza. Equipment Park now includes more than 70 military equipment displays representing vehicles and systems historically used at Fort McCoy.
Preserving Army history while making it accessible to the public remains another important component of Army strategic engagement. Historical sites, museums, memorials, and public educational events help connect generations of Americans with the Army’s legacy of service while reinforcing the importance of continued military readiness.
Army community relations efforts also play a critical role in sustaining long-term support for military operations and installations nationwide. Installations depend heavily on partnerships with local governments, schools, businesses, veterans organizations, civic leaders, and residents to successfully carry out training, mobilization, and support missions.
Public outreach efforts help ensure communities better understand how military installations contribute not only to national defense, but also to local economies, emergency response capabilities, environmental stewardship, and regional partnerships.
At Fort McCoy, those relationships have been built and strengthened over generations through public engagement events such as Armed Forces Day observances, military appreciation programs, and community partnerships.
Public reaction shared following the event reflected strong appreciation for both the open house itself and Fort McCoy’s outreach efforts.
One participant highlighted several popular attractions, noting visitors especially enjoyed the bus tour, sandbag activity, personalized dog tags, shooting range, military equipment displays, and wildlife exhibit. Another attendee praised the return of the event and encouraged additional bus tours in the future.
As the Army continues modernizing and preparing for future challenges, leaders across the force continue emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong public connections through strategic engagement, transparent communication, and community outreach.
Events such as the Fort McCoy Armed Forces Day Open House help strengthen those connections by allowing Americans to directly experience Army service, readiness, and history while reinforcing the longstanding bond between the military and the communities that support it.
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.”