Photo By Scott Sturkol | Fort McCoy Central Issue Facility employees lead an equipment exchange and turn-in...... read more read more
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They opened the doors to the new Fort McCoy Central Issue Facility in September 2015 after months of construction, setup, and hard work, said the facility’s Property Book Officer Thomas Lovgren, who was there when the doors were opened.
“This Central Issue Facility (CIF) is a newer one that was built … at a cost of approximately $9 million, and it’s 62,548 square feet,” Lovgren said. “We typically do about between $30 and $40 million worth of CIF transactions annually, which equates to about 400,000 to 500,000 pieces of equipment being issued out and turned in each year.
In the years since the new CIF has been open, tens of thousands of transactions have taken place there, Lovgren said. He said customers have plenty of space to process through and receive equipment, and more.
“We have two waiting areas near the entry and exit areas and a streamlined setup that helps create a smooth flow for CIF operations,” he said. “Our facility makes the issuing process a nice experience for Soldiers as they visit here to receive their equipment, especially at busy times.”
Lovgren also stated that Reserve Soldiers make up approximately 98 percent of all CIF transactions.
“As a matter of fact, this CIF was built with Reserve funding,” Lovgren said.
He also said the Fort McCoy CIF is the only CIF that’s been given authorization and one that actually takes the time to issue organizational clothing and individual equipment (OCIE) directly to Reserve Soldiers.
“That means that a Reserve Soldier can come here for training … and if they want to do a turn in or an issue, they can schedule an appointment, come here (to the CIF), and get the OCIE issued to them.”
Over the years, the Fort McCoy CIF has supported service members training in major exercises to others participating in cold-weather training where they received the Army Extreme Cold-Weather Clothing System, or ECWCS.
More than a dozen items make up the Army Extreme Cold-Weather Clothing System, or ECWCS, that are issued to Soldiers. The system 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.
“It’s a layered system that allows for protection in a variety of climate elements and temperatures,” Lovgren said. Each piece in the ECWCS fits and functions either alone or together as a system, which enables seamless integration with load-carrying equipment and body armor.
“We ordered additional cold weather gear for the cold-weather training that goes on around here,” Lovgren said. “You just can request it. We have the parkas, trousers, … mittens, and … certain types of items like that that units can go ahead and sign out for their winter training here.”
Lovgren said one of the keys to their success in addition to having all the necessary items available is also accessibility.
“We’re open seven days a week, which as you know includes Saturday and Sunday,” Lovgren said. “I believe we’re the only CIF around anywhere that’s open seven days a week. So, the Soldiers, they can come in, be properly sized, try the equipment on, make sure it fits, and know that we’ll be open.”
Another advantage of the Fort McCoy CIF is its location, Lovgren said. Fort McCoy is in a part of the country where many units converge for training on a regular basis, and because of that and the facility’s size it means more items can be stored at the Fort McCoy CIF instead of being transported to units across the country.
“That creates a transportation cost avoidance savings,” Lovgren said. And that savings has been significant.
Between fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2023, Lovgren said the Fort McCoy CIF operations — especially since 2015 — allowed for a transportation cost avoidance savings of more than $5 million.
The bottom line, Lovgren said, is a place like the Fort McCoy Central Issue facility gives the Army in part its many capabilities. It has an important part to play in the success of the Army.
“We provide the equipment to the Soldiers so they can do the training they need to do, or to go fight and come back, and to keep them warm during the cold, and also to protect their body with body armor,” Lovgren said. “It’s all very important.”
On average, Lovgren said they complete on average 8,000 issues and 4,000 turn-ins of equipment every year.
“And that will continue to grow,” Lovgren said. “It’s going up considerably.”
The CIF’s customers have had plenty of praise for the facility and its staff as well over the years. During one year when students in cold-weather training were being issued cold-weather gear, one the instructors was very pleased with the customer service.
“The CIF here is outstanding in how they support their customers, which makes our students’ experience here that much better,” the instructor said.
More recently, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew Nelson, commander for the 204th Army Band at Fort Snelling, Minn., said he appreciated the CIF’s support when his unit completed an equipment issue and turn-in.
“The facility itself is thoughtfully laid out, and the staff were extremely organized and helpful in getting the event scheduled and completing transactions quickly while we were on ground,” Nelson said.
Lovgren said they always appreciate good feedback and continue to improve operations based on feedback.
“One of the selling points we like to say to units is … you can come to do you come to Fort McCoy for great training, great training ranges, and more,” Lovgren said. “You can also come to Fort McCoy to get your OCIE issued directly to you as a Soldier, … use it for your training, and then take it back home with you, which you’ll maintain as long as you’re in the Army Reserve.”
The Fort McCoy CIF is part of the Fort McCoy Logistics Readiness Center.
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 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. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.” See more at https://home.army.mil/imcom.
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.18.2024 23:14 |
| Story ID: | 466494 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 587 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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