Fort McCoy’s Engagement Skills Trainer one of many simulations capabilities enabling enhanced training at Fort McCoy

Photo By Scott Sturkol | A Fort McCoy Garrison Soldier completes a training scenario on the Engagement Skills Trainer II simulator March 15, 2024, at Fort McCoy, Wis. According to the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center’s description of an Engagement Skills Trainer, the trainer is designed to simulate live-weapon training events that directly support individual and crew-served weapons qualification, including individual marksmanship, small unit collective and judgmental escalation-of-force exercises in a controlled environment. Every year more than 11,000 troops train on the Engagement Skills Trainer at Fort McCoy. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WI, UNITED STATES

03.26.2024

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                        

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Fort McCoy’s Engagement Skills Trainer in the Fort McCoy Simulations Training Complex in the 200 block of the installation, which is part of the Fort McCoy Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS), is one of many simulations areas at the installation that offers training service members a multitude of training capabilities, said Training Support Officer Rob Weisbrod with DPTMS.

Simulations training is a large part of operations during exercises at Fort McCoy, Weisbrod said, and the EST is one that is utilized significantly by troops at Fort McCoy, especially Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers.

Every year, more than 11,000 Soldiers complete marksmanship training on the simulations training platform at Fort McCoy, and it’s only growing, Weisbrod said in a previous news article.

“Soldiers are required to complete training on the Engagement Skills Trainer before actually going out to the range to complete their qualifications there, so this training facility is one of our busiest,” Weisbrod said. “The system is realistic, and it allows Soldiers that opportunity to hone their marksmanship skills.”

The U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center’s description of an Engagement Skills Trainer, available at https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/engagement-skills-trainer-est, states the many capabilities of the system.

“The Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) II is designed to simulate live-weapon training events that directly support individual and crew-served weapons qualification, including individual marksmanship, small unit collective and judgmental escalation-of-force exercises in a controlled environment,” the description states. “It provides detailed feedback to the individual fire team/squad that covers the fundamentals of marksmanship, fire control, and distribution of fires. The EST II simulator provides enhanced diagnostics with intelligent Automatic Coaching and Virtual Battle Space 3 based collective training enabled by the system’s open architecture.

“The EST II provides an impressive array of functionality for both instructor and trainee — solid weapon handling and shot placement analytics, coaching tools that highlight trainee results in real-time for reinforcement of correction, and enhanced graphic capabilities for an immersive training platform,” the description states.

And as a benefit to the warfighter, the center’s description further states, “EST II simulates weapons training events that lead to live-fire qualifications for individual or crew-served weapons. EST II provides weapons training in a controlled environment that reduces range/live-fire fees and provides the Soldier with more trigger time. Units utilize EST II to improve and excel at marksmanship skills, which improve performance during live-fire training and on the battlefield.”

Simulations training is also a large part of a regular training regimen for Soldiers stationed at Fort McCoy. As recently as March 2024, Fort McCoy Garrison Soldiers held monthly training at the EST to improve marksmanship skills. The Soldiers practiced both pistol and rifle challenges on the EST that helped sharpen their skills for the live ranges later on.

Simulations training overall have improved a lot in the last 10 years on post, Weisbrod said, especially with six new simulations buildings built in the 200 block since 2020. Weisbrod said in a past news article that the new buildings helped the garrison co-locate all installation simulators together to “provide a one-stop service for units conducting training on post.” Additionally, he said, it allows Fort McCoy to fully support a “live-virtual-constructive integrated training environment.”

Garrison Soldiers also said their March training on the EST was some of the most beneficial training they’ve had because of what the EST provides.

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.”

• Date Taken: 03.26.2024
• Date Posted: 03.26.2024 15:29
• Story ID: 467070
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WI, US