Photo By Scott Sturkol | Training operations are shown at Fort McCoy, Wis., on May 15, 2025. During May 2025,...... read more read more
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Thousands of troops took to Fort McCoy training areas during May 2025 to complete weekend training, extended combat training, institutional training, or participate in major training events.
Troops included Guard, Reserve, and active-duty personnel, and a lot of varied activity was taking place.
In early May, Army Reserve Medical Command officials said a new field hospital was shown at Regional Training Site (RTS)-Medical at Fort McCoy.
“Product Manager Soldier Medical Devices, capability and materiel developers, and RTS-Medical personnel collaborated on the new design for a standard medical shelter in support of
Soldier hospitalization (at Fort McCoy) on May 1,” states an Army Reserve Medical Command Facebook post on May 3 at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1106221858211625&set=a.470326441801173.
“Takeaway initiatives included opportunities for standardization, optimization of patient care and safety, and modifications to current obstacles of the legacy shelters,” the post states. “The proposed shelter design will be utilized across the U.S. Army medical force, affording mobility and survivability in future conflicts.”
Training also included the U.S. Army Reserve Command E3B (Expert Soldier Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge) competition the took place between April 27 and May 10 at Fort McCoy.
According to the Army Reserve at https://www.usar.army.mil/E3B, a “total of 109 candidates from all three U.S. Army components (active, Reserve, and National Guard) started the E3B” competition. Command Sergeant Major of 3rd Medical Command, Command Sgt. Maj. Robert T. Priest, and Commanding Sergeant Major of 352nd Civil Affairs Command, Command Sgt. Maj. George H. Conklin, spoke to the 14 Soldiers who emerged as 2025 badge recipients having satisfactorily completed all required tasks.
“The E3B promotes unity and readiness across the Army Reserve aligning the opportunity for all Soldiers the chance to become experts in their profession and set themselves apart from their peers,” the website states.
The Army Reserve also held its Best Squad Competition from May 8-19 at Fort McCoy. In a story by Capt. Elizabeth Polk, it states “75 warriors divided into 15 squads to endure six grueling, challenge-filled days” during the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC) Best Squad Competition.
“The success of the 2025 Army Reserve’s Best Squad Competition hinged on meticulous planning and coordination at all echelons,” the story states. “Immediately following the conclusion of last year’s competition, preparations for the 2025 event began, collaborating logistics, support, equipment, and personnel. Soldiers assigned to these tasks dedicated long hours to meet critical deadlines and ensured the seamless execution of the competition.”
May 2025 also saw the National Guard hold its 2025 Region IV Best Warrior Competition at Fort McCoy from April 30 to May 3.
“The seven noncommissioned officers and seven Soldiers represented Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin,” states a story by Spc. Jack Schave with the 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. “They put their Soldier skills to the test for the opportunity to advance to the national level.
“The four-day event challenged the Guardsmen, pushing them to their limits while measuring their proficiency in warrior skills, military procedures, physical fitness, and mental fortitude,” the story states. “To earn a place in the regional competition, each service member first competed in and won at their respective state-level competitions.”
From mid- to late-May, Soldiers from across the Army Reserve’s 649th Regional Support Group “successfully executed Defender University 25-2, a five-day mission-focused training designed to certify promotion eligibility for sergeant and staff sergeant at Fort McCoy,” states a Facebook post at https://www.facebook.com/649RSG/posts/pfbid06dzsm4t84H3VcMEMsuiRexGpRpKfZNrGGJ3PPp2ikAsCqdJXqGqryzzWdK87DYZel.
“Through hands-on instruction, scenario-based lanes, and rigorous evaluations, our Soldiers demonstrated proficiency in 29 Warrior Tasks and battle drills (skill levels 2 & 3), reinforcing their technical and tactical readiness,” the post states. “Defender University not only enhances individual Soldier development but also strengthens our force with leaders ready to meet the Army Reserve’s evolving challenges.”
No matter what type of training, all of it contributes to the economic impact Fort McCoy has on local communities. Fort McCoy’s total economic impact for fiscal year (FY) 2024 was an estimated $1.6 billion, Fort McCoy Garrison officials announced, which is up from FY 2023’s total impact of $1.38 billion. The data was compiled by Fort McCoy’s Plans, Analysis and Integration Office.
Workforce payroll, operating costs, and other expenditures totaled more than $398 million for FY 2024. A total of 1,934 personnel worked at Fort McCoy in FY 2024 — 1,061 civilians, 495 military, and 378 contract employees.
Fort McCoy also supported training for 73,991 troops in FY 2024, which ran from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. During FY 2024, training included battle-assembly (weekend) training; annual training; mobilization; institutional training; and numerous exercises, including a Warrior Exercise, Combat Support Training Exercise, Global Medic, Spartan Warrior military police exercise, Mobilization Support Force — Exercise 24, and numerous other training events.
More of the same kind of training is expected as 2025 continues.
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, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
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: | 05.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2025 18:10 |
| Story ID: | 498985 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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