Fort Cavazos PX Supports More Than 1,000 High School Students Attending Installation’s Two-Day Career Expo
On March 4 and 5, dozens of school buses carrying more than 1,000 Central Texas high school students arrived at Fort Cavazos for the III Armored Corps Career Expo & Fort Cavazos Career Expo 2025.
The Fort Cavazos Exchange provided food and refreshment for the students and shared the Exchange relevancy. This was the first time since 2020 that the event took place.
“This was an annual event in the past,” said Main Store Manager Dan Owens. “It was paused due to COVID, and they’re resuming it with the intent of making it an annual event.”
Students from as far away as Waco (about a 65-mile drive from Cavazos) attended the event, which the Cavazos Exchange supported with about a dozen food trucks. Fort Cavazos Expresses coordinated with Hunt Brothers Pizza to sell and give away pizza at the event, which Owens described as a “Meet the Army” expo hosted by the garrison for the entire community.
On the first day, 23 school buses from nearby Killeen, Texas, arrived for the Basic Training Experience.
“More than 20 drill sergeants unloaded the students from school buses as if they were going into basic training for the Army,” Owens said. “They were treated as if they were new recruits entering the Army and they’re being assigned to their first duty station.”
After the exercises, the students were sent to eat. The Exchange served more than 200 pizzas for students and Soldiers. Exchange vendor Evamor donated 5,760 16.9-oz. bottles of water. Associates shared the Exchange story with students and handed out Exchange swag.
Mat McEwing, Hunt Brothers Account Manager (in red shirt) and Fort Cavazos Exchange General Manager Stephen Shaw serve Hunt Brothers Pizza to one of the students attending the III Armored Corps Career Expo. Main Store Manager Dan Owens is in the background, in sunglasses. The Exchange and Hunt Brothers served more than 200 pizzas for students and Soldiers at the Expo.
After the Basic Training Experience, the students learned about Army career paths.
“That includes things from being pilots and medics to communication and driving trucks,” Owens said. “Anything the Army has to offer, the students were able to ask questions about it.”
On Day 2, 20 school buses brought hundreds of students to a career fair
“The fair covered the entire parade field for the garrison,” Owens said. “It was about three blocks of space. It featured displays with all sorts of career counselors, HR departments, directors for Army training schools. West Point was there.”
Students explored military ground vehicles and aircraft; watched military helicopters land; and learned how subjects they study in school help III Armored Corps Soldiers do their jobs daily.
They also visited a mobile field Exchange delivered by the Waco Distribution Center.
“It’s outfitted for merchandise, but it’s a show trailer,” Owens said. “Where the merchandise would normally sit, there are posters and banners that tell the Exchange story.”
Students attending the III Armored Corps Career Expo tour a mobile field Exchange featuring information about the Exchange.
More than two dozen Fort Cavazos associates were at the fair, working at tents and tables to spread the word about the Exchange benefit and recruit future associates.
“What we did was show a snapshot of what the Exchange is and what the Exchange does,” Owens said. “We highlighted where we go and how we serve those who serve. Our HR department was on-hand to answer questions, and members of our management team were there to talk to the students and community members who come in for the event.”
During the two-day event, nearly 6,000 Soldiers, students and other customers engaged with the Cavazos Exchange.
For more photos from the event, check out this Flickr album.
