Photo Essay: CWOC class 22-05 students complete skiing familiarization during training at Fort McCoy

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Students in the Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) Class 22-05 complete skiing orientation and familiarization Feb, 28, 2022, at Whitetail Ridge Ski Area at Fort McCoy, Wis. In addition to skiing, CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training 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, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

03.11.2022

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                                      

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Students in the Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) Class 22-05 completed skiing orientation and familiarization Feb, 28, 2022, at Whitetail Ridge Ski Area at Fort McCoy, Wis.

In addition to skiing, CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training 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.

During their 14 days of training in CWOC, one entire day of training is dedicated to skiing, said lead CWOC Instructor Hunter Heard, who coordinates CWOC 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.

“We spend the first half of the day getting set up at Whitetail and then moving as teams on cross-country trails at the ski area,” Heard said. “The afternoon is all about practicing downhill skiing with the Army-issue skis we have.”

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” 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 the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, 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: 03.11.2022
• Date Posted: 03.11.2022 23:11
• Story ID: 416360
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US