Fort McCoy’s Cold-Weather Operations Course Class 18-02: ‘This course gave me confidence’

Photo By Scott Sturkol | A Soldier participates in cold-water immersion training at an ice-covered Big Sandy Lake under the watchful eye of instructor Bill Hamilton as part of training for the Cold-Weather Operations Course on Jan. 17, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. The Soldier was one of 25 students in the course. In addition to cold-water immersion training, students were trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including skiing and snowshoe training as well as how to use ahkio sleds and other gear. Training also focused on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment. The training is coordinated through the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort McCoy. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

02.02.2018

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                          

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Twenty-five Soldiers came to Fort McCoy to build a greater understanding of military operations in a winter environment as students in Cold-Weather Operations Course Class 18-02 during the first two weeks of January.

When they left, many said they not only had a greater understanding but the course also gave them skills needed to survive and operate in a winter-warfare environment.

“This course gave me confidence,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph Chrysler with the 339th Psychological Operations Company of Arden Hills, Minn. “It gave me confidence in my cold-weather clothing and gear and helped me (rebuild) skills that are not used every day in today’s Army. … Also, some of the best parts of this course were learning to build a thermal shelter and (bivouacking) overnight in the elements.”

The course, also known as CWOC, is modeled on the Cold-Weather Leader Course taught by the Army Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC) at Black Rapids, Alaska, said Course Instructor Bill Hamilton, who works for contractor Veterans Range Solutions, which supports the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, or DPTMS.

Hamilton said the course is designed to challenge students.

“Our program of instruction includes overnight operations in the field,” Hamilton said. “We teach them a finite set of individual, leader, and small-unit collective tasks within a structured ‘crawl, walk, and run’ methodology.”

Tasks taught include cold-weather injury identification and treatment, proper ways to wear cold-weather clothing, cold-weather risk management, snowshoeing and skiing, and adverse effects of cold weather on military equipment, Hamilton said. Training also includes developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, building improvised shelters, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment.

“We start off with classroom training for a few days and then it’s training in the field every day until we’re done,” Hamilton said. “In the field, the students spend time ruck marching for dozens of miles, skiing, snowshoeing, building tents and shelters, and more.”

After being exposed to the cold-weather in the field, many students said understanding the Army Extreme Cold-Weather Clothing System, or ECWCS, was most helpful. The system, which is issued through the Fort McCoy Central Issue Facility, includes a lightweight undershirt and underwear, midweight shirt and underwear, fleece jacket, wind jacket, soft shell jacket and trousers, extreme cold/wet-weather jacket and trousers, and extreme cold-weather parka and trousers.

“You have to have confidence in your gear. … It’s how you stay alive in extreme conditions,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Steinhoff with the Wisconsin National Guard in Richland Center, Wis. “In this course, they teach you how to properly dress for the cold.”

“Practical, hands-on application of using equipment seems to be one of the best ways for students to get familiar with the equipment needed to survive in cold-weather,” Hamilton said.

Toward the end of the course, all students participated in cold-water immersion training. Joe Ernst, also a CWOC instructor, said cold-water immersion is critical to the ability to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment.

“The experience of a service member being introduced to water in an extreme-cold environment is a crucial task for waterborne operations and confidence building,” Ernst said. “For a person to fall into water in that environment, the onset of panic generally introduces itself quickly. For our service members who will be operating in an extreme-cold environment, it is a task that, if not trained for, can produce unnecessary casualties.”

“The best parts of this course was learning to build an improvised shelter and the cold-water immersion,” said Sgt. Hunter Carlson with the Wisconsin National Guard’s 1158th Transportation Company at Beloit, Wis. “I didn’t enjoy doing either of them, but I realize how important learning those skills are and being able to use them.”

Army ROTC Cadet Molly Brown with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse said she appreciated all of the training.

“Everything you need to know to succeed in (cold-weather) is taught in this course,” Brown said. “This course significantly prepared me and taught me the skills needed to (operate) and survive in a cold-weather environment.

Immediately after the completion of Class 18-02, Class 18-03 began the following week with more than 50 students that included Marines and Soldiers.

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: 02.02.2018
• Date Posted: 02.02.2018 15:10
• Story ID: 264506
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US