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A record 155,975 personnel trained at Fort McCoy in fiscal year (FY) 2017 — up more than 18,000 from FY 2016.
The previous record number of people to train at the installation was 155,237 people during FY 2015. The first time more than 100,000 people trained on post during a fiscal year (October to September) was FY 1985.
“We’re seeing our numbers increase partly because of our investment in improving our range complex over the last decade, and the efforts we’ve made to advertise our capacity and capability for training is paying dividends,” said Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) Director Brad Stewart. “Through the investment that the Fort McCoy team has made through strategic planning and taking care of our customers, we continue to see how that investment brings more units to train here as well as more of the large exercises.”
Training statistics reflect many types of training opportunities that take place at the installation by active- and reserve-component forces and other governmental agencies, said DPTMS Training Division Chief Ed Carns.
DPTMS personnel document the training statistics each month of the fiscal year, Carns said. This involves combining numbers of the entire training population, which encompasses reserve- and active-component military forces as well as other training agencies, such as law-enforcement agencies or the Wisconsin Challenge Academy.
The FY 2017 training statistics were split between extended combat training (ECT) and battle drills. The ECT total for the fiscal year was 102,183 which includes institutional, civilian, and law-enforcement training and major exercises. The battle drill (weekend training) total for FY 2017 was 53,792.
Contributing to the ECT statistics were the many exercises that took place throughout the fiscal year, such as the Warrior Exercise, Combat Support Training Exercise, Operation Cold Steel, Red Dragon, Global Medic, and more.
Also contributing to the training increase was the start of the DPTMS Cold-Weather Operations Course, which began in January. Stewart said the course, which fully prepared dozens of service members to operate in winter conditions, is helping bring more units to train at Fort McCoy during the upcoming winter.
“Fort McCoy is having a direct impact by helping (troops) train in a four-season climate,” Stewart said. “Fort McCoy is truly becoming the year-round Total Force Training Center.”
Training throughout the fiscal year also didn’t focus solely on the Army. Plenty of Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and international service members trained at Fort McCoy, as well. For example, more than 1,000 Marines trained at Fort McCoy throughout the year as well as hundreds of Airmen and Sailors.
Stewart added that the Fort McCoy Training Coordination Working Group, spearheaded by the DPTMS Training Division, has been a critical component to the success of training support on post. The working group not only includes garrison personnel, but also partners from installation tenant organizations, such as the 86th Training Division, 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade, Logistics Readiness Center, Network Enterprise Center, Mission Installation Contracting Command-McCoy, and 88th Regional Support Command.
“This training support system enterprise that we have at Fort McCoy comes together every year to work this training synchronization in a superb manner,” Stewart said. “Everyone involved in this enterprise across the installation should be proud of the work that’s been done.”
Another force behind Fort McCoy’s training success is it’s many appreciative customers, such as 644th Regional Support Group Commander Col. Dominic Wibe of Fort Snelling, Minn.
“I’ve traveled to a lot of places, and Fort McCoy’s range complex is great,” Wibe said when his unit trained on post in March. “We’ve also had great support from the full-time staff here. We will come here (several) times a year, and the support is always great.”
Stewart said the annual training numbers will likely continue to grow in the future. “Having 175,000 (people) train here in a year is still a goal,” he said.
Fort McCoy has supported America’s armed forces since 1909. The installation’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” The post’s varied terrain, state-of-the-art ranges, new as well as renovated facilities, and extensive support infrastructure combine to provide military personnel with an environment in which to develop and sustain the skills necessary for mission success.
Today, Fort McCoy has become the Army’s premier Total Force Training Center for Army Early Response Force early deployers to meet the Army's operational demand requirements. Learn more about Fort McCoy online at www.mccoy.army.mil, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
| Date Taken: | 10.20.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.20.2017 17:00 |
| Story ID: | 252510 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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