Every September, retired Soldiers, their families and the people who support them return to Fort Sill for a few days of practical help and easy fellowship. For retired Army Lt. Col. Allen Shell, one detail has become part of the welcome: he brings doughnuts for early arrivals.
Shell has volunteered with the Fort Sill Retiree Council for 18 years. The annual Retiree Appreciation Days gathering gives longtime retirees a chance to reconnect and share what they have learned with people beginning their own transition. Shell’s tradition of arriving with doughnuts is one small way he makes the morning feel neighborly.
Fort Sill held its 48th annual Retiree Appreciation Days on Sept. 17 and 18, 2026, under the theme “Soldier for Life: A Lifetime Commitment to Service.” The two-day program brought together retirees, future retirees, surviving spouses and family members for information, services and recognition. Fort Sill Public Affairs reports the event typically welcomes 400 to 600 people from Oklahoma, Arkansas and other states.
The Sept. 17 open house gathered about 75 to 80 organizations and service providers at Rinehart Fitness Center. Attendees could speak directly with government agencies, health-care teams and community partners about benefits, identification cards, legal questions and other retirement resources. Medical personnel administered 80 flu shots, while dental staff provided 75 screenings and educational encounters.
Those conversations help turn a large event into a useful point of connection. Retirees can meet the people who answer their questions, find services in one place and compare notes with others who have navigated similar transitions. Shell described the gathering as a chance for people from several states to link up and share information.
For Shell, the doughnuts are part of a longer practice of showing up. He says the people and organizations at Fort Sill have helped him, and volunteering is his way of giving back. Each year, familiar faces return alongside new attendees, making space for both renewed friendships and fresh introductions.
The schedule also makes room for celebration. Retirees and family members gathered for a luncheon on Sept. 18, followed by Fort Sill’s monthly retirement ceremony. Together, the open house, lunch and ceremony connect people at different stages of military retirement and keep the community in touch.
Fort Sill’s annual gathering reflects the Army’s broader Retirement Services Program, which supports retirees and their families with information about benefits and continuing ties to the Army community. The official Army benefits guide describes Retiree Appreciation Days as a way to keep retired Soldiers and families informed while fostering goodwill between retired and currently serving communities.
At Fort Sill, that welcome can begin with a useful conversation, a familiar face or a doughnut set out early. Shell’s 18-year volunteer tradition is a reminder that community care often grows through small gestures repeated year after year.
Sources: Fort Sill Public Affairs via DVIDS; U.S. Army Retirement Services Program.
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