CWOC Class 21-01 students practice building Arctic 10-person tent at Fort McCoy

Photo By Scott Sturkol | A Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) Class 21-01 student helps set up an Arctic 10-person tent Dec. 15, 2020, at a South Post training area at Fort McCoy, Wis. CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and skiing as well as how to use ahkio sleds and other gear. Training also focuses 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

12.18.2020

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                         

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) Class 21-01 students set up Arctic 10-person tents Dec. 15, 2020, at a South Post training area at Fort McCoy, Wis.

During two weeks of training in each session of CWOC, students learn many skills. Among the most important of those skills is being able to create shelter in a cold-weather environment.

CWOC students learn specifically the Arctic 10-person tent, said CWOC instructor Hunter Heard, who coordinates training with fellow instructors Manny Ortiz, Brian Semann, and Joe Ernst. All are with contractor Veterans Range Solutions, which works with Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security (DPTMS) to complete the training.

During each class, students get training about the tent and the heater that goes into it. Students go out and practice building the tent throughout the course. According to Heard, students get about 12-16 hours of training with tents.

Students also spend several nights bivouacking in the tents at designated wooded areas throughout the installation. This provides a greater understanding on how to build and use these tents for shelters on various types of terrain.

CWOC students are also trained on a variety of other cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and skiing as well as how to use ahkio sleds and other gear.

Training also focuses 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.

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 Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

• Date Taken: 12.18.2020
• Date Posted: 12.18.2020 17:34
• Story ID: 385397
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US