Veterans Memorial Plaza is shown Nov. 17, 2022, at the Commemorative Area at Fort McCoy, Wis.

It was the last day of 2022 where the flags were still posted at the plaza and it was a snow-filled day.

The 900 block of Fort McCoy and the 11-acre area surrounding it are at the hub of the fort’s history-preservation efforts and is called the Commemorative Area.

The Commemorative Area consists of five World War II-era buildings set aside to help tell Fort McCoy’s unique story.

These facilities are representative of the types found in the cantonment area when it was constructed in 1942.

Three of the buildings — an administrative facility, a dining facility, and a barracks — are set up to depict Soldier life during the 1940s. Display items include a World War II chapel, bunk beds, footlockers, mannequins, and potbelly stoves.

Another building highlights four different modern military training venues, and a separate facility shows various training aids. The area also has the Equipment Park.

Veterans Memorial Plaza is a tribute to all of the men and women who have served the nation during each era of Fort McCoy’s history.

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” 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 https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.