Fort McCoy military leaders serve 2026 Holiday Meal to installation community

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office:

"Military leaders at Fort McCoy helped celebrate the holiday season by serving meals to members of the installation community Nov. 3 at Dining Facility 1362.

The annual holiday meal celebration brought together 230 military service members and civilian personnel for an afternoon of food and fellowship at the dining facility in the Noncommissioned Officer Academy complex.

Military leaders participating in the meal service included Maj. Gen. Kevin F. Meisler, commanding general of the 88th Readiness Division and Fort McCoy senior commander; Col. Sarah E. Fraticelli, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy; Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jason Sikorski, command chief warrant officer of the 88th Readiness Division; and Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major for U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy.

The leaders served food to attendees, helping make the occasion a special opportunity for installation leadership and members of the workforce to share in the holiday spirit.

The Nov. 3 meal featured a traditional holiday feast prepared by Southern Premier Food Service, Fort McCoy's food service contractor, in coordination with the Fort McCoy Food Service Office. The menu included roast turkey with turkey gravy, pit ham, and hearty chili, along with a variety of traditional sides and desserts.

Other offerings included savory bread dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, steamed corn on the cob, seasoned green beans, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, coleslaw, dinner rolls, and a fresh salad bar. Desserts included traditional pumpkin pie, warm apple pie, decorated white cake, assorted fresh fruit, and ice cream.

The dining hall was also decorated for the occasion, helping create a festive atmosphere for those attending.

Following the event, Jim Gouker of the Fort McCoy Food Service Office sent a letter of appreciation to the management and culinary staff of Southern Premier Food Service, recognizing their work in making the celebration successful.

Gouker highlighted the team’s culinary presentation, hospitality, and organization, noting that providing a holiday dining experience for 230 military and civilian personnel required extensive coordination and hard work.

He also recognized the staff's friendly service and welcoming atmosphere, particularly for military personnel who were away from their families or attending training during the holiday season.

“Culinary Excellence & Presentation: Every course - from the traditional holiday meats and savory trimmings to the festive side items and desserts - was prepared to perfection, beautifully displayed, and thoroughly enjoyed by all attendees,” the letter states. “Warm Hospitality and Morale Impact: Your team’s friendly smiles, attentiveness, and welcoming service created an inviting, home-away-from-home atmosphere. For military personnel stationed away from their families or attending training, during the holidays, this event provided an invaluable boost to morale and camaraderie.

“Flawless Organization and Execution: Feeding 230 guests smoothly without delay requires extensive coordination and hard work behind the scenes,” the letter states. “Your kitchen and front-of-house staff handled the flow of service seamlessly, ensuring every guest felt welcomed and honored. Your dedication and selfless service reflect the highest standards of culinary professionalism and community support. The time and energy invested by your management and staff did not go unnoticed, and we are deeply grateful for your partnership.”

Gouker also recognized the importance of the meal beyond the food itself, noting that the gathering provided a boost to morale and camaraderie among those attending.

The meal was offered from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Non-subsistence-in-kind personnel could purchase the meal for $11.85, while personnel with standard subsistence-in-kind entitlements received the meal through their established entitlement.

The celebration continues a longstanding Fort McCoy tradition of bringing members of the military community together around the Thanksgiving and holiday seasons.

Previous holiday meal events at Dining Facility 1362 have featured installation leaders serving meals, special decorations, and participation from Soldiers, civilian employees, retirees, and other members of the Fort McCoy community.

In November 2023, more than 100 people attended an early Thanksgiving meal at the facility, with members of the garrison command team serving diners. A similar celebration in November 2024 drew more than 200 Soldiers and civilians.

This annual celebration provides an opportunity to recognize the people who support Fort McCoy’s mission while bringing the installation community together outside its everyday work and training responsibilities, Gouker said.

The Fort McCoy Food Service Office and Southern Premier Food Service personnel play an important role in providing dining support to the thousands of military personnel who train at the installation each year, he said.

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 Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on DVIDS by visiting https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/FMPAO on DVIDS. 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.”