Photo By Scott Sturkol | A scene from a patching ceremony held March 13, 2025, is shown in building 905 at Fort...... read more read more
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Soldiers with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy traded out the Army Materiel Command patches on their uniforms for the blue clover patch of the 88th Readiness Division during a special patching ceremony March 13 in building 905 at Fort McCoy.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi, commanding general of the 88th Readiness Division and Fort McCoy’s senior commander, presided over the ceremony. Garrison Commander Col. Sheyla Baez-Ramirez served as the top leader representing the garrison.
The patching ceremony was prompted by January 2025 Execute Order 123-25 from the Secretary of the Army, “Update to U.S. Army Installation Management Structure,” which designates all uniformed personnel at the garrison as being under tactical control, or TACON, of the senior commander, who is Ricciardi at Fort McCoy. And because of the new TACON, a new patch was now needed for Fort McCoy Garrison Soldiers.
Ricciardi discussed the change during his address to the ceremony attendees.
“Ladies and gentlemen, special guests, thank you for being here today,” Ricciardi said. “This is a really special day, I believe, for both garrison, for the Army Reserve, and for the 88th Readiness Division. And I can say that because the last patch I wore was the Army Materiel Command patch. … And … I just did this about nine months ago.
“A patch ceremony? Because what is a patch? And then I was thinking about it, and, you know, a patch is a brand, it's a logo, and it only means what it means to everybody else,” Ricciardi said. “So, the Golden Arches, the Nike swoosh, the 82nd patch … they’re logos. … They derive meaning, and they invoke emotion. And where does that come from? … It comes from history. It comes from performance. And it comes from war.
“(When) I think about the 88th patch, and you just watched the history that the 88th has,” he said referring to a history video previously played for attendees. “You saw what they did. Talk about performance. And you see the performance and the respect that the enemy gave the 88th with the moniker Blue Devils.”
Ricciardi said the patch also represents the lore of the 88th.
“You have the story that goes along with it. … So what is the story that you will tell? And that’s what’s upon us right now is to continue that story, continue that legacy, to continue the brand that the 88th has and make the brand.”
Baez also reflected on now being one of the newest Soldiers wearing the 88th patch.
“As (Maj. Gen.) Ricciardi was talking about the significance of this ceremony, we can also look at the tradition that the Army provides and how the 88th Readiness Division is a huge part of that tradition.
“When we look at the history, right, since 1917 (when) the unit was founded, it has served in operations in World War I, World War II, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and also OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) and OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom),” Baez said. “So, the tradition from the 88th Readiness Division is big and has had an important impact on the global landscape. The 88th Readiness Division is consistently ensuring that our Army Reserve is prepared to answer our nation’s call to have great Soldiers all of the time.”
Baez added, “For the Soldiers, for the civilians, for the families … I say this. Welcome the change, love the change. I think it's going to be very fruitful for Fort McCoy. Seize the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to contribute to the legacy of this great organization.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Dieckman, 88th command sergeant major, and 1st Sgt. Thomas Ninkovich, serving as acting garrison command sergeant major, were the top enlisted members represented in the ceremony as well.
Several dozen garrison and 88th workforce members also attended the ceremony.
Learn more about the 88th Readiness Division by visiting https://www.usar.army.mil/88thRD. See a video about the history of the 88th at https://www.dvidshub.net/video/955069/88th-readiness-division-history.
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.”
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2025 01:12 |
| Story ID: | 492837 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort McCoy Garrison Soldiers switch to 88th Readiness Division patch in patching ceremony, by Scott Sturkol, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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