Fort McCoy supports Army Forces Command mobilization exercise ‘Pershing Strike ‘21’

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Training operations are shown July 8, 2021, at Fort McCoy, Wis., for Pershing Strike ’21. Thousands of military members have trained at Fort McCoy for Pershing Strike and in 2021 overall for weekend, extended combat, exercise, and institutional training events. Fort McCoy's motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

07.22.2021

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                        

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

During July, Fort McCoy supported the level III mobilization exercise Pershing Strike ’21.

The exercise has included an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE), two units preparing for deployment, and additional units completing training to “stress” Mobilization Force Generation Installation (MFGI) capabilities, said Fort McCoy Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) Director Mike Todd.

“This exercise enables Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) to prepare their system for a unit to deploy,” Todd said, noting it helps the command and units make sure everything such as personnel and equipment are ready for a deployment while at the same time helping refine the MFGI capabilities.

DPTMS Mobilization/Demobilization Branch Chief Kurt Bruggemeyer, who is directly supporting Pershing Strike ’21, said in many cases an EDRE, which was held the second week of July at Fort McCoy and Volk Field, and a mobilization exercise are held separately. But for Pershing Strike ’21, the EDRE was intertwined with the exercise.

An EDRE is a FORSCOM program which tests the deployability readiness of active component duty forces, Bruggemeyer said. The mobilization exercise is another FORSCOM program which stresses and tests the capabilities of MFGIs to stand up capabilities and support the mobilization of forces as directed by FORSCOM.

“Mobilization exercises vary in levels, with some only being table-top exercises and others integrating numerous units which may or may not actually be deploying into a theater of combat operations,” Bruggemeyer said. “During this mobilization exercise Pershing Strike, FORSCOM injected an EDRE into the mobilization exercise flow of units to do several things. First it tested and evaluated the deploying unit’s ability to deploy/redeploy. And secondly, the EDRE unit’s Soldiers helped to stress the Fort McCoy MFGI enterprise’s ability to support mobilization operations on a larger scale.”

The units preparing for deployment included the 645th Inland Cargo Transportation Company and the 1397th Deployment Distribution Support Battalion. The 645th is a transportation company located in Sloan, Nev. The 1397th is located in Vallejo, Calif. Combined, the units have hundreds of Soldiers completing deployment preparation.

“With those two units, we are able to put them through the entire mobilization sequence at Fort McCoy,” Todd said.

Throughout the time that Pershing Strike ’21 takes place on post, which started in early July and ends in early August, observer-coach/trainers with the 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade (MFTB) have supported Pershing Strike training in many areas. The 181st is a longtime tenant organization at Fort McCoy.

In a video interview created by Sgt. Ryan Tatum with 181st MFTB Public Affairs, Sgt. Selina Trejo, a motor transport operator for 1397th Deployment Distribution Support Battalion, said she appreciated the support of 181st trainers during weapons training at a Fort McCoy range.

“I think the leadership that (the 181st has) out here made sure that we were well aware of what we were doing and went through every single step,” Trejo said about completing M9 qualifications training in the video. “It’s gone really good. This is the best range that I have ever been on in my life for the pop-up targets and with the training that’s gone on — it’s all moving quickly.”

“The 181st MFTB is the supported command for this exercise and the 181 Soldiers continue to demonstrate that they are great trainers,” Todd added.

Also, every time a large exercise like Pershing Strike takes place at Fort McCoy, thousands of troops need to be fed. That’s when the installation’s food-service team ensures that need is always met.

That team includes the Food Program Management Office (FPMO) and the Subsistence Supply Management Office (SSMO) with the Fort McCoy Logistics Readiness Center; the full food-service contractor DCT Inc.; and food suppliers, such as Sysco Foods of Baraboo, Wis., said Fort McCoy Food Program Manager Andy Pisney.

“Food service is a training enabler, and we don’t ever want it to be a distractor,” Pisney said. “The mission always comes first, and if we can support the mission without distracting from it — that’s perfect.”

Fort McCoy support also includes the work completed by personnel in DPTMS’ Range Maintenance, Range Scheduling, Range Operations, and more. And there’s also quality-of-life support provided by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and the Fort McCoy Commissary and Fort McCoy Exchange.

Pershing Strike should be fully complete by early August, Todd said.

Fort McCoy's motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” Also, 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.” Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.

• Date Taken: 07.22.2021
• Date Posted: 07.22.2021 16:58
• Story ID: 401530
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US