Fort McCoy chaplain encourages gratitude, fellowship, support during holiday season

Official Statements

• Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, November 9: “Taking time to appreciate the people working alongside one another and recognizing the importance of fellowship were among the messages shared by Fort McCoy Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Walter McCall during the installation’s 2026 Holiday Meal on Nov. 3 at Fort McCoy.

  McCall addressed Soldiers, civilian employees, and other members of the Fort McCoy community attending the meal, encouraging everyone to slow down during the busy holiday season and recognize the contributions of those around them.

  Drawing on the words of author Norman Shidle, McCall emphasized the importance of building a team in which people are confident in their own contributions while also recognizing and appreciating the skills and efforts of others.

  He challenged those attending to look to the people on either side of them and consider the value they bring to the workplace and the Army mission.

  “What I want you to do for this Thanksgiving is look at the person to your left, look at the person to your right,” McCall said. “You need to learn to make sure your life is not driven by what I'm going to do next but just taking a piece of time to be thankful for the people working with you side by side every single day.”

  He acknowledged that working relationships are not always easy but said the importance of teamwork goes beyond individual differences.

  “Even if that person may emotionally get on your nerves, ... that person’s contributing to the overall mission that we try to accomplish every day,” he said.

  McCall encouraged everyone to pause, avoid becoming consumed by the demands of everyday life, and remain thankful for the people who share in their work and service.

  Following his remarks, McCall offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the meal, fellowship, and relationships that bring people together both at work and at home.

  His prayer also focused on those who might experience loneliness during the holiday season. He asked that they never feel alone and that others be placed in their paths to demonstrate kindness, love, and support.

  “We thank you for your presence throughout this season, and we thank you for those who may be alone in this season to never feel alone and send people across the path to show them love,” McCall prayed.

  McCall’s participation in the Holiday Meal reflects the chaplain’s broader role in supporting the Fort McCoy community throughout the year. Chaplains regularly provide spiritual care, encouragement, prayer, and a reassuring presence during installation activities, ceremonies, special observances, and community gatherings.

  That support can be especially meaningful during the holiday season, when events bring people together but can also be a difficult time for individuals dealing with separation from family, personal challenges, or feelings of loneliness.

  Through his participation in events such as the Holiday Meal, McCall helps reinforce the importance of looking out for one another and maintaining a sense of community among the people who live, work, and serve at Fort McCoy.

  As the installation community moves through Thanksgiving and the December holidays, his message serves as a reminder that appreciation and support do not have to come through grand gestures.

  Sometimes, they begin with something as simple as slowing down, recognizing the person standing next to you, and making sure that person knows they are valued.

  The message also reflects an important part of the Army’s culture of selfless service: recognizing that every member of the team has a role in accomplishing the mission and that taking care of one another is part of that responsibility.

  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.”