U.S. Marines return from cold weather training in Fort McCoy

Photo By Sgt. Christian Garcia | U.S. Marines with 2nd Marine Logistics Group pose for a photo on Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Dec. 9, 2021. Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 6 and 2nd Transportation Battalion trained in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, in order to increase lethality and readiness in cold weather environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Christian M. Garcia)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

12.15.2021

Story by 1st Lt. Kevin Stapleton  

2nd Marine Logistics Group

FORT MCCOY, Wis. – U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (MLG) recently completed a two-week long cold weather training exercise alongside 2nd Marine Division in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, the U.S. Army’s “Total Force Training Center,” from December 1 to 14, 2021.

The Marines and Sailors of Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 6 and 2nd Transportation Battalion participated in various iterations of tactical-level training in extreme cold weather environments operating throughout Fort McCoy’s training areas while simultaneously supporting 6th Marine Regiment’s logistical requirements.

“The Marines and Sailors of CLB-6 were able to deploy to Fort McCoy and support 6th Marines – all while learning how to operate in the extreme cold. The training we received here will pay dividends in the future,” said Lt. Col. Michael E. Vincent, commanding officer of CLB-6. “The Cold Weather Operations Course, the Medical Simulation Training Center, and the live fire range infrastructure was world-class and has enhanced our readiness as a combat logistics battalion.”

The highlight of the exercise was the Cold Weather Operations Course (CWOC), hosted by contractors with Veterans Range Solutions and Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Plans, Training Mobilization, and Security.

Modeled after training from the Army’s Northern Warfare Training Center, CWOC challenged the Marines and Sailors to conduct simulated combat operations while learning a variety of cold weather sustainment tactics such as ahkio sledding, improvised shelter construction, skiing, and snowshoe training, according to Fort McCoy Public Affairs.

Prior to the Fort McCoy staff hosting field training for CLB-6, CWOC instructors held platform training for the Marines and Sailors in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to establish a baseline prior to deploying to Wisconsin, said lead CWOC instructor Hunter Heard.

The classroom instruction, combined with the real-world live exercise portion in below-freezing climates, provided the battalions with a comprehensive cold weather package that replicates the strenuous demands of operating in an arctic setting.

While the Marine Corps traditionally conducts cold weather training at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California, CLB-6 welcomed Fort McCoy as a challenging change-of-pace for its Marines and Sailors and benefitted from its unique location in the Midwest.

“As a Total Force Training Center, Fort McCoy has proudly hosted training for the United States Marine Corps for decades," said Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael D. Poss. "Our Cold Weather Operations Course is designed to provide in-depth training in cold weather environment survival and we are happy to host the Marines in that training capacity. We know II Marine Expeditionary Force will take the skills they learned at Fort McCoy and implement them as they increase their readiness levels for the Joint Force."

• Date Taken: 12.15.2021
• Date Posted: 12.16.2021 11:01
• Story ID: 411227
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US