Fort McCoy deputy garrison commander serves as featured speaker at Tomah VA Medical Center Memorial Day ceremony

Fort McCoy Deputy Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Chad Holder served as the featured speaker during the 2026 Memorial Day ceremony held May 22 at the Tomah VA Medical Center, continuing a longstanding partnership between Fort McCoy and the Department of Veterans Affairs in honoring the nation’s fallen service members.

The ceremony took place at 10 a.m. on the steps of Building 400 at the Tomah VA Medical Center and was open to veterans, family members, staff, and members of the community. Organizers gathered attendees to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives in military service to the United States.

Holder’s participation as the keynote speaker represented more than a ceremonial appearance. It reflected the enduring relationship between Fort McCoy and the Tomah VA Medical Center, two organizations that regularly work together to support veterans, military families, and the surrounding communities of western Wisconsin.

Fort McCoy leaders routinely participate in Tomah VA events, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances, health-care initiatives, and community programs.

The Memorial Day observance at the Tomah VA Medical Center followed a simple but meaningful schedule:

— 10 a.m. — Memorial Day ceremony begins outside Building 400.

— Community members, veterans, families, and staff gather to honor fallen service members.

— Featured remarks by Holder and other participants recognizing the sacrifices of America's military dead.

Memorial Day traces its origins to the years following the Civil War when communities across the nation began decorating the graves of fallen Soldiers.

Originally known as Decoration Day, the observance gradually evolved into a National Day of Remembrance for all U.S. service members who died while serving their country. Congress later established Memorial Day as a federal holiday, and it is now observed annually on the last Monday in May.

For Fort McCoy, participation in events such as the Tomah VA Memorial Day ceremony is an important component of Army community engagement. Army outreach efforts emphasize building relationships with the communities that support military installations and the men and women who serve. Fort McCoy has long maintained strong ties with veteran organizations, local governments, educational institutions, and the Tomah VA Medical Center as part of that mission.

The relationship between Fort McCoy and the Tomah VA Medical Center extends beyond ceremonial events. Personnel from the installation and the medical center frequently collaborate on veteran wellness initiatives, training opportunities, volunteer projects, and community service activities. In 2024, for example, Fort McCoy personnel worked alongside Tomah VA staff and volunteers during a community project to improve facilities and therapeutic spaces for veterans receiving care at the center.

Community engagement opportunities such as Memorial Day observances also provide military leaders an opportunity to connect with veterans and their families while reinforcing the Army's commitment to honoring military service and sacrifice. By participating in local ceremonies, Fort McCoy leaders help strengthen relationships with community partners and demonstrate the Army's continued support for veterans long after their active-duty service has ended.

Holder's role in the 2026 ceremony continued that tradition. Standing before veterans, family members, VA employees, and community residents gathered outside Building 400, he represented Fort McCoy's ongoing commitment to remembrance, service, and partnership.

As Memorial Day ceremonies took place across the nation, the observance at the Tomah VA Medical Center highlighted the shared mission of Fort McCoy and the VA — honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice while continuing to serve the veterans who carried the nation's defense forward.

Through events such as this annual ceremony, the partnership between the installation and the medical center remains a visible and enduring example of cooperation in support of veterans and the communities they call home.

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\[c\]\(https://home\.army\.mil/mccoy\)\, 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\.”