{"id":347996,"date":"2025-01-07T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=347996"},"modified":"2025-01-09T02:36:35","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T02:36:35","slug":"from-fireworks-to-fitness-2024-was-blast-at-fort-cavazos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=347996","title":{"rendered":"From fireworks to fitness: \n2024 was blast at Fort Cavazos"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Sgt. 1st Class Miguel Melo, III Armored Corps Inspector General\u2019s Office, poses as he and the other golfers head onto the course during the Ben Hogan Classic April, 26, 2024, at the Courses of Clear Creek at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas \u2014 <\/strong>\u00ad\u00adThere were many opportunities for the Fort Cavazos community to come together for fun and camaraderie in 2024.<\/p>\n

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\n Nathan Glade, a BMX athlete, balances on one wheel while T.J. Ellis, another BMX athlete, soars above him as part of the BMX show during the \u201cRock for the Brave\u201d event Sept. 28, 2024, at Phantom Warrior Stadium at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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Rock for the Brave<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thousands of Soldiers and family members gathered Sept. 28, 2024, at Phantom Warrior Stadium for \u201cRock for the Brave,\u201d an event aimed to celebrate Soldiers and their families.<\/p>\n

The event was made possible by Fort Cavazos; Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation; Defense Commissary Agency; Army and Air Force Exchange Service; Procter and Gamble and partners.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a culmination of about 18 months of work \u2026 to put on what I consider to be an iconic show of support to military families,\u201d said Marc Knowles, global military team leader for Procter and Gamble. \u201cI learned a long time ago that it\u2019s critically important for the community surrounding the military community to support them (the military).\u201d<\/p>\n

There were many activities for families to participate in, including rock climbing, ladder ball and cornhole while event volunteers showered them with free items provided by sponsors. Entertainment included a BMX show, dog show, magic show by illusionist Kid Ace, stand-up comedy performance by Adam Yenser and a concert by country artist Cole Swindell concluded the event.<\/p>\n

Appearances were made by other public figures including Chip Gaines of \u201cFixer Upper,\u201d Duff Goldman of \u201cAce of Cakes\u201d and former professional football player Rob Gronkowski who held a meet and greet at the beginning of the day.<\/p>\n

Amber Pafford, marketing and advertising manager for DFMWR, said it was heartwarming to see families having fun together during the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt highlighted the sense of community and support that exists among military families at Fort Cavazos,\u201d she said. \u201cThe laughter, joy and shared experiences created a vibrant
atmosphere, reminding everyone of the strength that comes from these connections.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Fireworks light up the night sky to close out Freedom Fest June 28, 2024, at Phantom Warrior Stadium at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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Freedom Fest<\/strong><\/p>\n

To celebrate Independence Day, the Fort Cavazos DFMWR hosted Freedom Fest June 28, 2024, at Phantom Warrior Stadium at Fort Cavazos.<\/p>\n

Thousands of community members attended the beloved annual tradition to enjoy great food, fun, entertainment and fireworks.<\/p>\n

Lance Pooler, deputy director of DFMWR, said preparing for the event is a demanding task that always provides great reward for the DFMWR team.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we … start seeing the local community and the Soldiers and their families start to pour into the stadium, it\u2019s basically just gratification for us,\u201d he said. \u201cThis gives us the enthusiasm to continue to do what we do, which is provide these types of things for our Soldiers and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

The festivities kicked off with a \u201cSalute to the Nation\u201d ceremony.<\/p>\n

The ceremony consisted of Soldiers carrying the flag of each state in the order they joined the union. The sound of cannon fire echoed across the stadium as each state
was announced.<\/p>\n

Artists were performing on two stages throughout the event, including country group Parmalee and pop artist Gavin DeGraw, who both took the main stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to come and provide entertainment (for service members),\u201d said Matt Thomas,
Parmalee lead singer. \u201cEvery show we\u2019ve ever done for service members has been awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeGraw said he was proud to be performing at The Great Place for the Fourth of
July celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the lifeline of the country right here,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is our fighting men and women. I\u2019m proud to be an American, so I\u2019m in the right place. Anything to celebrate our independence is up my alley.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Wild West Night guests participate in the line dancing portion of the night\u2019s events March 1, 2024, at the Lone Star Conference Center at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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Wild West Night<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Fort Cavazos Spouse\u2019s Club hosted their Wild West Night March 1, 2024, at the Lone Star Conference Center at Fort Cavazos, where they raised more than $40,000.<\/p>\n

Wild West Night is one of the FCSC\u2019s fundraising events that allows them to award grants to charitable organizations in the community at their annual grant luncheon.<\/p>\n

The theme was \u201890s country and the more than 350 guests showed up in their best western attire to line dance, ride a mechanical bull, enjoy casino-style games and participate in both a silent and a live auction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a night of high-energy, nostalgic \u201890s country throwbacks and dazzling cowboy and cowgirl attire,\u201d said Karissa Dolan, Wild West Night co-chair. \u201cThroughout the entire evening, every time I looked around the room attendees were laughing, enjoying the company of others, and engaged in a variety of activities. We had a steady group enthralled with the variety of casino games, while others enjoyed conversation, the photo booth, the mechanical bull, line dancing and curious check-ins on their silent auction bids.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing our community and military coming together for an evening of fun and a goal of raising funds for grants that\u2019ll bless Central Texas nonprofits made all the coordination of the night worth it,\u201d she added. \u201cOur goal was to create an event atmosphere that kept attendees engaged \u2014 the energy and excitement in the room was amazing! It was a fantastic way to round out our year of raising funds for community grants.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n John \u201cJax\u201d Larson, 12, tightens a bolt while Tommy Yagalla, 11, holds a nut at the end in place Aug. 2, 2024, at Fort Cavazos, Texas. The two, along with other children and adults, assisted Claire Kerfoot, 15, in constructing a gaga pit for the community to enjoy.
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Housing area add-ons<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not only has Cavalry Family Housing and Lendlease opened up new housing on the installation, but many new amenities came to housing areas on the installation in 2024.<\/p>\n

In January, a pickleball court was opened in the Comanche II family housing area. Life Scout Claire Kerfoot, who was 15 at the time, daughter of Col. Jeremy Kerfoot, 89th Military Police Brigade commander, and volunteers built a gaga ball pit near the pickleball court Comanche II Village playground in August. In September, the ribbon cutting for a new state-of-the-art dog park took place in the Heritage Heights subdivision.<\/p>\n

Eagle Scout Ewan Choy, who was 17 at the time, Eagle Scout Troop 229, set up flag disposal boxes at the five community centers on post in October, and many Fort Cavazos residents had Level 2 Electric Vehicle chargers installed at their homes thanks to the partnership between TRO Energy Solutions, Lendlease and Cavalry Family Housing.<\/p>\n

Ben Hogan Classic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hundreds of Soldiers gathered April 26, 2024, at the Courses of Clear Creek at Fort Cavazos to participate in the annual Ben Hogan Classic Golf Scramble.<\/p>\n

The free, three-person scramble is a highly anticipated event at The Great Place \u2014
active-duty Soldiers typically line up on registration day and fill the 200 spots within an hour.<\/p>\n

Throughout the event, participants were treated to food, drinks, swag bags and unusual activities at some of the holes including cornhole and using a hand-held cannon to make their first shot at one of the holes instead of using their driver.<\/p>\n

Sgt. 1st Class Miguel Melo, III Armored Corps Inspector General\u2019s Office, was especially excited to be participating in the Ben Hogan Classic for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n

He said the event is a huge morale boost for Soldiers at The Great Place, providing a break from their fast-paced workdays.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re afforded the opportunity to come out here \u2026 take it,\u201d Melo said. \u201cSoldiers that do have the opportunity \u2026 to come play at the Ben Hogan, come and get your swing on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, then-III Armored Corps deputy commanding general of maneuver, now commander of 1st Cavalry Division, made some brief opening remarks before the golfers were sent onto the course.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you to the Ben Hogan Foundation for putting this awesome event on \u2026 and all of the volunteers that are out here in order to make this happen,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso a big shoutout to all of our Garrison staff that makes everything happen at the installation behind the scenes. We know you\u2019re the ones that make this happen. As we reflect on this awesome event and everyone coming together \u2026 this is what makes this place
The Great Place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Chris Joplin, volunteer with Cowboys 4 Heroes, brings hot coals from a fire to sit on a pot; inside the part are homemade biscuits. Biscuits were just one of the many items served during Cowboys 4 Heroes Bumpers and BBQ event Oct. 19, 2024, at the Phantom Warrior Center at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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Cowboys 4 Heroes\/Bumpers and BBQ<\/strong><\/p>\n

Attendees came out in droves to get a taste of authentic chuck wagon barbecue, shop at local vendor booths, enjoy a pumpkin patch, vote on their favorite modern or classic car and more at the Cowboys 4 Heroes\/Bumpers and BBQ event Oct. 19, 2024, at the Phantom Warrior Center at Fort Cavazos.<\/p>\n

\u201cCowboys 4 Heroes comes out to honor the veterans and the active-duty \u2014 the
first responders,\u201d said Norma Hernandez, Fort Cavazos DFMWR community activities
coordinator. \u201cIt\u2019s their way of giving back to them and honoring them today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Houston-based organization was founded in 2009 to assist combat veterans with the transition from active duty to civilian life.<\/p>\n

Since their inception, Cowboys 4 Heroes donors and volunteers have provided more than 1.5 million meals and nutritional support to active-duty military, veterans, their families and first responders.\u00a0This is in addition to providing more than $350,000 in educational support to Future Farmers of America and 4-H youth who raise the steer, which are locally processed and provided to the program partners to assist veterans and their families.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we first started doing this, the youth of Texas and then service members, it became such an easy group to serve,\u201d said Greg Liles, founder of Cowboys 4 Heroes. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who you are, what side of the ledger you\u2019re on politically, male or female, young or old, it doesn\u2019t matter. It\u2019s such an easy group to serve, and they\u2019re underserved in a lot of ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Fort Cavazos leadership, and representatives from the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, and Kompan, a company that designs and constructs playground and fitness sites, participate in a ground-breaking ceremony for the new Abrams Outdoor Fitness Park Oct. 16, 2024, behind Abrams Physical Fitness Center at Fort Cavazos, Texas.
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New outdoor park<\/strong><\/p>\n

In October, the Fort Cavazos DFMWR, along with representatives of Kompan, a company that designs and constructs playground and fitness sites, and Fort Cavazos leadership conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Abrams Outdoor Fitness Park.<\/p>\n

The new facility funded by U.S. Army Installation Management Command will feature workout stations with equipment for different types of workouts, a multi-use court, walking\/running track, play areas for children and more.<\/p>\n

There is no other like it in the Army, and the aim of the $2-million facility is to give families a place where adults can focus on their physical fitness while still being near their children.<\/p>\n

\u201c(This facility) symbolizes not only our commitment to fitness but our dedication to innovation, readiness and community well-being,\u201d said Col. Lakicia Stokes, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander, during the ceremony. \u201cPhysical fitness has always been a cornerstone of military readiness and building resilient units, Soldiers, families and communities. We recognize that the way we train must evolve to meet the challenges of tomorrow \u2014 this park represents that evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Summer Inwood, chief of Sports Fitness and Aquatics for DFMWR, said the ground-breaking event marked the culmination of four years of planning, and the facility will be a great place for families to gather.<\/p>\n

\u201cArmy regulations really prevent children from accompanying the parents, spouses or active duty, into the fitness facilities, so we really have to be creative and look for outdoor spaces where we can accommodate the need,\u201d she said. \u201cThis will be that. We will be able to provide a really great training modality, several modalities in fact. Whether it be group fitness or function fitness, CrossFit style, whether it be weight training, all of this will be encompassed by the ability to be able to bring your child into a safe environment while you work out.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sgt. 1st Class Miguel Melo, III Armored Corps Inspector General\u2019s Office, poses as he and the other golfers head onto the course during the Ben Hogan Classic April, 26, 2024, at the Courses of Clear Creek at Fort Cavazos, Texas. (Photo Credit: Photo by Blair Dupre, Fort Cavazos Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL FORT CAVAZOS, Texas […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":347998,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-347996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=347996"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":348006,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/347996\/revisions\/348006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/347998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=347996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=347996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=347996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}