Courtesy Photo | This is a news clipping from the May 26, 1995, edition of The Triad newspaper at Fort...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy, Wis., was established in 1909. Here is a look back at some installation history from May 2025 and back.
80 Years Ago — May 1945
FROM THE MAY 4, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Back after 39 months in Pacific; helped liberate Philippines (By Newspaper Staff) — Sgt. Robert Richmond, 23, a member of the first American unit to land in Australia — the 147th Field Artillery Battalion — arrived at Camp McCoy last week after 39 months duty in the South Pacific, and is believed the first veteran of the Philippines campaign to hit this post.
Richmond, who enlisted at Sioux Falls, S.D., on Nov. 25, 1940, left Fort Ord, Calif., on Nov. 22, 1941, for the Philippines with the 147th but when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor the ship’s course was switched to Brisbane.
Richmond wears the American Defense Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with four campaign stars, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.
He participated in Netherland East Indies campaign prior to the 147th’s invasion of New Britain. He later was assigned to 8th Army Headquarters after seeing duty at Oro Bay and Finschafen.
On Dec. 7, 1944, Richmond landed with the headquarters group at Leyte. A little more than a month later he was sent to Hollandia to be returned to the United States on rotation. Ten days later after his arrival home he was married to his hometown sweetheart, Elaine Leaders.
FROM THE MAY 4, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Wounded from seven states rounded into shape; trio of veterans medal winners (By Newspaper Staff) — Wounded veterans hailing from seven Midwestern states are rapidly rounding back into battle shape under the direction of Camp McCoy reconditioning workers at the station hospital here.
The men are battle casualties who served with a dozen infantry divisions overseas — principally in the European theater of operations — and have recovered sufficiently to resume light training.
Three of the present group of convalescents hold medals for heroic action against the enemy. They are Staff Sgt. Fred C. Wilmoth of Detroit, Pfc. Joseph J. Jolivette of Chicago, and Pfc. Julie Cross, also of Chicago.
Wilmoth earned the Silver Star and the Bronze Star medals and Purple Heart while serving with the 79th Infantry Division during the battle of France. He also won the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
Jolivette, a member of the 30th Infantry Division, holds the Bronze Star medal, while Gross is a winner of the Silver Star award for his bravery in rescuing a wounded comrade of the 3rd Armored Division.
Five others boast the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge. They are Cpl. Stanley Kozinski, Milwaukee, formerly with the 5th Infantry Division; Pfc. Robert J. Miller, Chicago, ex-36th Infantry Division; and Pvts. Gustaf Peterson, Alpha, Mich., formerly of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate), Boynton K. Miller, Fond du Lac, ex-168th Infantry Regiment, and Cecil Whitaker, Cass City, Mich., former 29th Infantry Division.
FROM THE MAY 25, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY: Another 2nd Division Soldier earns Medal of Honor; Carey of 38th Infantry gets posthumous award (By Newspaper Staff) — The second Medal of Honor to be won by a 2nd Infantry Division Soldier was awarded posthumously to Staff Sgt. Alvin Carey of the 38th Infantry Regiment, the War Department announced.
The other Medal of Honor winner from the 2nd, also posthumously, was Sgt. John J. McVeigh, Company H, 23rd Infantry Regiment, for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Brest, France, on Aug. 29, 1944.”
The latest 2nd Division winner of nation’s highest medal, Sgt. Carey, was from Laughlinstown, Pa.
FROM THE MAY 25, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY: La Crosse shop eyes top command ‘victory idea’ spot; 3 more workers rewarded for suggestions (By Newspaper Staff) — Out for a record in the Army Suggestion Program, the Ordnance Service Command shop at La Crosse walked off with three more awards for meritorious suggestions.
Passed out Tuesday by Maj. George D. Goetzke, shop director, they went to Otto C. McCullick, Palmer C. Olson, and Charles O. Olson.
McCullick’s suggestion for a device to check idler wheel carrier arms on M-29 Cargo Carriers netted him $100. The Army will save approximately $2,500 annually in materials in this area alone.
A guage to measure rear axle alignments and device to straighten them on the M-29s was Palmer Olson’s contribution. It is estimated it will save $2,000 annually.
Charles Olson’s gadget is a true swivel bracket to hold instrument panels on M-29s during modification and cuts man hours from two to one. Maj. Goetzke again urged all personnel to turn in suggestions.
“We have a splendid record to date, and we can lead everything in the Sixth Service Command. Turn in the idea, no matter how trivial you may think it.”
55 Years Ago — May 1970
FROM THE MAY 8, 1970, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Summer training begins (By Newspaper Staff) — Like a beehive that slept quietly all winter only to get ready for a torrid summer of activity, Camp McCoy has opened for business.
Over 300 military personnel have been added on a temporary duty status to beef up the permanent party and assist in the training. The TDY Soldiers have come from installations throughout the Fifth Army.
Fifth Army’s summer training center already has a company of engineers on post and by the end of the weekend nearly 1,000 National Guard and Army Reservists will be here. More than 50,000 troops are scheduled for summer duty at Camp McCoy.
The 486th Engineer Company arrived at Camp McCoy on May 2nd for a two week stay. The 486th is commanded by Capt. Paul Pepin and has an operating strength of 200 men. Most of them come from the unit’s station in Muskegon, Mich.
An Army Reserve unit, the engineers are slated to perform some of the same tasks as in previous summers. Thia means clearing fire lanes and grading roads. The engineers operate shale pits which are used to supply gravel for the roads at Camp McCoy.
They are scheduled to build a road east of Squaw Lake which will extend for one mile. The engineers have plenty of heavy equipment on hand to get the job done. They have earth-movers and bulldozers at work to help Camp McCoy prepare for more than 50,000 Army Reserve and National Guardsmen.
When at home the 486th can be seen building local baseball diamonds. Their job is clearing wooded areas and smoothing land for diamond sites. Last year the company was at Joliet,
Ill., for two weeks building firing ranges.
FROM THE MAY 22, 1975, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Army’s 200th, more than fighting (By Maj. Gordon T. Bratz) — On June 14 (1975), the U.S. Army will celebrate its 200th birthday. During the past 200 years, the Army has spent over 50 years in wars and conflicts, fighting in defense of our nation, its policies, and ideals.
As a continuing reminder of its heritage, the Army flag carries 162 campaign streamers, from Ticonderoga in 1775 to the Republic of Vietnam Cease-Fire in 1973. In recent years, combat operations have tended to obscure the extensive and valuable peacetime accomplishments the Army has made to the nation and to mankind in general.
A list of the contributions to society by the Army ;would fill several volumes. They include advances in medicine, construction, exploration, communications, aviation, food products, transportation and scientific research.
For example, the water we drink every day is kept free of germs, thanks to an Army major who purified water with liquid chlorine. Yellow Fever, typhoid, and influenza were first brought under control due to the efforts of Army doctors.
The world's first military aircraft — a Wright "Model B" — was flown in September 1908 at Fort Meyer, Va., by Orville Wright. During the Civil War, the Army’s Quartermaster General issued the first boots designed to fit left and right feet. Before that, the same boot had to fit either foot.
The steel industry got a boost in 1879 when the Army's Watertown Arsenal invented a hydraulic testing machine to measure the tensile strength of metals. Another advance in metallurgy occurred in 1922 when the Army Ordnance Corps used X-ray machines to examine foundry castings.
The first electronic computer was the Arry's ENIAC, the first aerosol can was developed by the Army in WWII, freeze-dried food, radar, the transistor radio and even the pollution control valve for automobiles were developed by the Army.
Army Engineers have played a dynamic role in our national development. They surveyed and mapped the nation as settlers moved westward.
In 1908 they began work on the Panama Canal, and during World War II, built the 1,500-mile Alcan Highway in eight months.
In 1824, the Corps became responsible for all inland waterways and harbors. Today, they maintain 28,600 miles of inland and coastal waterw:ays, 500 harbors, 9,000 miles of levees and 390 flood-control reservQizs, Just as we tend to take many of the creature comforts known to us
in the U.S. for granted, we also overlook the many significant contributions Army doctors, engineers, scientists, technicians and inventors have made to this nation. Remembering
our freedoms and comforts during the bicentennial period will also lead us to recognize the close
and necessary relationship of the Army to the nation, and to the nation’s needs, problems, history and future aspirations. Indeed, the Army and the nation are one.
40 Years Ago — May 1985
FROM THE MAY 16, 1985, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Logbusters turn logs into lumber; forestry detachment operates Army’s only sawmill on post (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt) — Logbusters ‘85 is well underway and it’s another day at the mill for members of
the 457th Forestry Detachment.
The saws buzz, the smell of freshly cut wood fills the air and pieces of sawdust are whipped by the wind. “Logbusters ‘85” is the name members of the 457th gave to their annual training exercise conducted at Fort McCoy.
The 457th, an Army Reserve unit headquartered in Hurley, Wis., was founded in 1968. The unit has the distinction of being the only “sawmill” unit in the Army-active or reserve. The 38 personnel which make up the unit are divided into a logging section and a sawmill section.
The unit's mission is to cut trees and produce rough lumber (lumber squared on four sides but not planed), according to 1st Sgt. Don Honkanen.
“We support engineer units in cutting lumber for bridging and building materials,” he said.
The unit has been given two projects to complete during their training period at Fort McCoy.
“The first project involves cutting a variety of dimension lumber, like two-by-fours, for post use,” Honkanen said. “The other project is cutting cribbing material used for retaining walls.
That project was given to us by the 397th Engineer Battalion,” he said.
The battalion will use the materials produced by the 457th during their Army Readiness Training Evaluation Program. “Right now it looks like we'll be able to complete both projects if the weather and machinery hold up,” he said.
When the unit arrived, the first order of business was setting-up the fully portable sawmill. “It's like a giant erector set,” said Capt. Allen Sosdian, detachment commander. “It takes about eight
hours to get everything in place.”
The sawmill, made in 1968, is not automated and is dependent upon manpower to operate. A nine-man logging section provides the timber for the sawmill.
"People like to watch the sawmill operation and often times they forget about the loggers,” Honkanen said. “They do a great job in getting the materials to the guys at the mill. We knock down the trees, cut off the limbs and saw the logs into about 30-foot lengths to fit on the truck,” said Sgt. Roger Fontecchio, logging section foreman.
The cutting site was designated by the installation forester. The six acres of oak scheduled to be cut by the logging crew will be transformed into about 30,000 board feet of lumber back at the
mill, Fontecchio said.
As soon as a load of timber arrives at the sawmill site, two more members of Fontecchio’s crew “buck” the logs. Bucking involves cutting the logs into suitable size determined by the lengths needed to fill the project order. The sawmill is capable of sawing logs up to 30 inches in diameter and up to 20 feet in length.
Staff Sgt. Eric Nasi, sawmill section foreman, explained how logs are processed into dimension lumber. First, bucked logs are loaded onto the bridge bulk, a holding area for logs.
Log turners then put the log on the saw nation of cash and travelers checks if the amount is uneven. For example, if the payment is $210,.then an individual may be issued four $50 traveler's checks and $10 in cash, Linden said. However, no combination of travelers checks and
Treasury checks will be made, he said.
The reason for the new policy is to improve cash management. “With this policy we can reduce the amount of cash held in the office,” Linden said.
Currently, it costs the United States government and eventually all taxpayers approximately 12 percent interest for all cash held outside the Federal Reserve, Linden said.
There is no interest paid on travelers checks, and by maximizing use of the checks, the Finance and Accounting Office mill carriage, and the sawyer determines the depth of the cut to be made and drives the log through the saw blade.
30 Years Ago — May 1995
FROM THE MAY 26, 1995, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: HOOAH! Army honors McCoy at Pentagon May 11 (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt) — Representatives from Fort McCoy
and U.S. Army communities across the globe gathered in Washington, D.C. on May 11 to celebrate their quest for excellence.
Nearly 500 people attended the Seventh Annual Chief of Staff, Army, Army Communities of Excellence (ACOE) awards ceremony held on the lower parade field at the River Entrance of the Pentagon. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan and Sergeant Major of the Army Richard A. Kidd presented a trophy and flag to representatives of each winning community.
Fort McCoy Installation Commander Col. Harold K. Miller Jr. and Fort McCoy ACOE Coordinator Pat Heilman accepted the awards on behalf of Fort McCoy, which was selected as
the Army's top small installation in the most-recent round of the ACOE competition.
Among those cheering in the audience was a 44-member delegation representing the Fort McCoy community. The delegation included a crosssection of military and civilian employees, as well as Tomah Mayor Frances Pollard, Monroe 'County Board Chairman Wayne Selbrede, and Bill Klein, who represented Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.
Maj. Gen John H. Little, Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, welcomed the crowd, which included top-level Army officials and dignitaries from the communities being recognized.
“This afternoon, we're recognizing the best of the best in installation management — the folks who really have set the standard for the Army in terms of the way we take care of the people
on our installations," Little said.
“This is a special time, for these folks have put a lot of work into this business," he said. “They’ve studied the problems on their installations, they've worked hard in finding solutions
to these problems in a downsizing Army, and they've done a great job in coming up with a very positive way to deal with these problems. As a result, we've got a quality of life on the installations being recognized here today that is absolutely superb.”
In his remarks to the crowd, Sullivan said it truly was a “great day to recognize Army excellence.”
“In the audience today, we have representatives from all around the world...members of America’s Army — active, Guard, Reserve and the civilians who support us and who support
our family members. You all need to feel proud about what you do for your country, and you need to feel good about today,” Sullivan said.
“For eight years, this program, Army Communities of Excellence, has been the benchmark of success,” he said. “Success in this program has been achieved by people like you — by men and women who dedicate themselves to performance to standards. You focus yourselves and your people on achievements of standards, and, simply stated, supporting your community members at the level they deserve. The Army Communities of Excellence Program has provided an incentive for all of us in the Army to improve the standard of living for our people.”
“Now I know that everything is not great,” Sullivan said, “and every day is not like today out there in Army communities around the world. Resources are drying up...missions are going up,
yet you have succeeded in improving the quality of life, and that truly is a tribute to you and your people.”
20 Years Ago — May 2005
FROM THE MAY 27, 2005, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Bangor students learn about fishing at McCoy’s Big Sandy Lake (By Rob Schuette) — About 20 fourth and fifth grade students from Bangor Elementary School learned about fishing during a May 16 outing at Big Sandy Lake at Fort McCoy.
Kristin Gonia-Larkin, an elementary school teacher, said the outing was part of the classes’ Helping Hands Ecology Club.
“Our goal through this club is to increase awareness of environmental issues and to provide a service to the community,” Gonia-Larkin said. “This is an extracurricular activity, and the students volunteer to do this on their own time.”
The classes have made such a field trip several times in the past. Gonia-Larkin said the location they normally go to is Jersey Valley Lake near Westby. Because of a fish kill from manure runoff there this spring, they decided to look elsewhere for their excursion.
The Bangor Elementary School has been doing these fishing events for four years with Mark Steingraeber of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), where they have a program to help
promote fishing and angling education.
Steingraeber was looking for an alternate place to hold this event. Because the FWS has a long-term working relationship with Fort McCoy, he contacted the installation to see if they there would be any good opportunities to catch fish and also learn what would be required to hold this activity at Fort McCoy, said John Noble, Fort McCoy Fisheries biologist. Big Sandy Lake was chosen as the location for the event.
Because of weather conditions, the original date didn’t work, and Steingraeber was not able to attend the makeup date, Noble said.
Noble agreed to step in and tell the students about fishing. They saw fish in an aquarium and
learned about fish anatomy and other characteristics. The students also received angler education information.
“This is the first group we’ve had like this come to Fort McCoy,” Noble said. “We have worked
hand-in-hand with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on different projects so we helped them with this project.” It also supports Fort McCoy being a good neighbor to the area communities, he added.
Gonia-Larkin said the students have done a number of environmental projects, such as raking
leaves or planting flowers.
“If the students don’t have an appreciation of this, they won’t take care of it,” she said. “If they
don’t take care of it, they can lose it.”
Big Sandy Lake was an ideal place to bring the children to because it is large and wide open and
allowed students plenty of room to move around, she said.
Jeremiah, a fourth grader, said he learned “you have to be patient to catch the big ones. It’s really
good fishing.”
10 Years Ago — May 2015
FROM THE MAY 8, 2015, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Former college football star highlights need to change cultures, climates (By Scott T. Sturkol) — Activist, educator, feminist, and former college football star Don McPherson highlighted ways to rethink society’s percep tion of women, what it means to be a man, and the importance of healthy relationships as the guest speaker for Fort McCoy’s observance of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month April 21 in building 60.
In 1987, McPherson quarterbacked the Syracuse Univer sity football program to an undefeated season, set 22 school records, and won many national awards. He also played professional football in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Oilers, as well as a few years in the Canadian Football League.
McPherson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and Syracuse University retired his No. 9 jersey in 2013. He’s also supported numerous school- and community-based programs for more than 30 years.
“When I was a student-athlete, we were told we were role models, so I got (more) involved in social issues at that time,” McPherson said. “Th at has grown to what I am doing today.”
Early on, McPherson spoke to youth about drunken driving, alcohol and substance abuse, bullying, leadership, and mentoring. In 1995, his focus shifted more to the issue of men’s
violence against women. In all the subjects he’s covered, he said the best thing to do is to start with a good conversation.
“I was talking to students who were too young to drink and too young to drive,” McPherson said. “I realize now that what I was doing was using prevention language and scare tactics. … We used that prevention language and scare tactics because we were afraid of the (real) onversation.”
McPherson said that when people have conversations about subjects no one wants to talk about, it can change the culture and climate in which people are immersed.
We have to learn to have conversations about issues that we’ve all been raised not to talk about,” McPherson said. “When we’ve been raised not to talk (about those issues), we don’t see the things that could lead to problems before it’s too late and something happens.”
Such conversations, including those about violence and sexual assault, should occur all the time and not just when something happens. “What moves us forward and makes us better at
anything is spending quality time preparing to make good decisions, especially in the heat of the moment,” McPherson said.
That conversation preparation also is important when addressing today’s youth about relationships.
“When it comes to social issues, especially when talking about relationships and how to navigate relationships, we (as a society) don’t really talk about it,” McPherson said. “We don’t talk about what a loving relationship is like. We don’t talk about what a respectful relationship is like.
“Our kids are getting bombarded more and more about disrespectful relationships and sexual behavior,” he said. “And we as an adult culture are not talking enough about that. We’re asking kids to make good decisions around difficult issues with very little information. … We need to have those conversations, and it requires a little more courage (from parents).”
Changing historical thinking about violence and sexual assault takes everyone’s involvement.
“Historically, (these issues) have been referred to as women’s issues,” McPherson said. “So, my question to men is; what does this allow the men to do? (Men) will think this isn’t their responsibility, and they just won’t talk about it. And the reality is when we do talk to (men) about this, it’s only when something bad happens.”
5 Years Ago — May 2020
FROM THE MAY 22, 2020, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Installation’s newest forester isn’t new to Fort McCoy, plans continued success (By Scott T. Sturkol) — Depending on the time of year, he’s used to hearing the crunch of the snow underneath his snowshoes or the swishing sound of boots moving through mud as he makes his way around the tens of thousands of acres of forest land on Fort McCoy. But it’s all okay, because it’s another day in his outdoor “office” for Forester Charles Mentzel.
Mentzel, who was the post forestry technician from 1992 until April 11, knows the woods of Fort McCoy from one end to the next. Mentzel said managing the forest land, a large part of the post’s 60,000 acres, is a continuing effort that never gets dull. He officially became the installation’s newest forester April 12.
“I think someone who has worked in forestry as long as I have has to love it,” said Mentzel, a 1991 graduate of the forestry program at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and native of New Lisbon, Wis. “No matter what the weather is outside, it’s always a great day to come to work. We have a great forestry program, which, in addition to the rest of the natural resources programs at Fort McCoy, provides much care and management for our environment here.”
The forestry program at Fort McCoy is part of the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. According to Mentzel, more than 40,000, or about 66 percent, of Fort McCoy’s acreage are forestlands. And approximately 40 percent of the forested land (32 percent of Fort McCoy’s total land area) is commercially valuable.
“All of our forest acreage is tracked using computer programs to enhance multiple-use, sustained-yield forest management,” Mentzel said. “From 4,000 to 5,000 acres are re-inventoried each year.”
To do those inventories and to manage all that acreage means getting out in the field, which is where Mentzel has spent the majority of his time. “I’ll go out when its 20 degrees below zero in the middle of winter or when it’s 105 degrees in the heart of summer,” Mentzel said.
Field work means using a number of tools, including a radio; a diameter tape for measuring circumference of trees; and a clinometer, used to measure tree height.
“A clinometer measures angles of slope, elevation or depression of an object with respect to gravity,” said Mentzel. “In forestry, it helps us measure the height of trees quickly using the measured angles and trigonometry.”
Other items Mentzel may carry for work include paint to mark trees for a future timber sale, a handheld computer to input measured forestry data and a GPS device.
“With a GPS unit, we can achieve great location accuracy in preparing a land tract for a timber sale,” Mentzel said. “The unit we have is worn in a backpack style and is strong enough to pick up a satellite signal beneath the tree canopy. Achieving accuracy in our readings is crucial to the overall management of our program.”
The GPS unit is also compatible with the handheld computer, which has applications designed specifically for forestry management. While a forestry technician once used pencil and paper to do his or her work, it’s now completed with the latest technology. Mentzel said the computer is the most important tool available.
“Compared to when I started in forestry, the tools we have now make the work more efficient and accurate,” Mentzel said. “Our computers and GPS capabilities are our best tools in use now.”
Even with the best tools available, Mentzel said the toughest part of his job is not the technology or the science of forestry — it’s the weather.
“When it comes to weather, it can go from one extreme to another here,” Mentzel said. “During Wisconsin winters, we have the snow and cold temperatures. In summer, we can have high humidity and temperatures over 100 degrees as well as rain and severe thunderstorms. The weather, by far, plays a big part in how we approach our work.”
In addition to weather, the landscape and terrain can also provide challenges. For example, if he has to mark trees with paint in a land parcel for a timber sale, Mentzel said he prefers to do it in the winter versus the summer.
“In summer, the undergrowth can grow very thick, which makes it hard to move around,” Mentzel said. “You also have the insects like mosquitoes and ticks, which can make it difficult to be out there in those swampy areas. So, it’s best to go out to the swamps in winter when the ground is frozen and there aren’t any insects to be found.”
Mentzel’s schedule keeps him busy year-round. From January to March, he and his staff are marking trees for harvest for future timber sales throughout the post. On average, the post will have eight to 10 timber sales in a year.
The value of standing timber at Fort McCoy, Mentzel said, is estimated at more than $13 million. More than 282,000 cords and 48 million board feet of commercial timber currently are growing on Fort McCoy. And, on average, timber sales produce annual revenue of approximately $200,000 or more that goes into an Armywide forestry account. Monies from the account can then be requested to fund forestry projects on Fort McCoy.
During the spring, summer, and fall, Mentzel also supports forest fire prevention efforts with others around the post. “This means we go out and conduct prescribed burning,” he said.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources defines prescribed burns as a way to “improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities and reduce wildfire potential.” It’s all those reasons and more why Mentzel and others go out and perform the prescribed burning.
“By doing this, it helps reduce wildfire potential in areas all around the post — especially in places where military training is taking place,” Mentzel said. “We make sure our firing ranges and training areas are at the lowest risk possible during spring and summer, which is our busiest time on post for military training.”
Mentzel’s Forestry Office also manages opening areas for firewood collection to the public. People can purchase firewood permits online at iSportsman or at the DPW Permits Sales Office in building 2168 when open.
Mentzel added that the firewood program also helps with fire prevention and land management.
“When people collect firewood here, it has to be from dead standing or down timber,” he said. “By removing the dead wood, it removes overhead hazards for Soldiers and takes away possible fire fuel improving the land overall.
Whether it’s supporting timber sales, managing prescribed burns, scouting areas for firewood collection or working with customers, Mentzel said having a career in forestry is one he’s enjoyed and will continue to enjoy for years to come.
“I’ve been doing something in forestry for all of my adult life,” Mentzel said. “This is what I’m good at and what I enjoy. And, I’m glad I get to do it here at Fort McCoy.”
Recently retired Fort McCoy Forester James Kerkman said Mentzel will continue to do well with the program.
“Charles and I have been working together since 1987, when he started out here in the Junior Fellowship Program after graduating high school,” Kerkman said. “He worked during summers and breaks while attending UW-Stevens Point. Today’s forestry program is as much influenced by Charles as by myself. I don’t see any radical changes happening after I leave. Through the years, Charles has been doing a large part of the timber sale program and has a good rapport with the logging contractors. He also has a great working relationship with the many others on the installation we have worked with through the years. He’ll continue to do well.”
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,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy,” on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fortmccoywi, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@fortmccoy.
Also try downloading the My Army Post 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: | 05.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2025 17:43 |
| Story ID: | 497447 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
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