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Fort McCoy, Wis., was established in 1909. Here is a look back at some installation history from August 2025 and back.
80 Years Ago — August 1945
FROM THE AUG. 3, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: 1,500 long distance calls per day, center’s goal; phone service stepped up to help veterans (By Newspaper Staff) — As if made to order for the large influx of veterans returning to McCoy for redeployment or separation, the new telephone center, at 12th and C Streets, opened July 15 with a complete “phone home” service and staff extensive enough to handle the large volume of calls expected when more and more men send the happy news of their homecoming via wire.
Another similar phone section is in the separation section.
In charge of the center is W.F. Hallfrisch for 41 years with the Wisconsin Telephone Company and until his assignment here, telephone engineer with Sixth Service Command Headquarters in Chicago. Under Hallfrisch’s direction is a staff of 10 women — experienced phone operators.
During the usual work day, there are at least three operators on duty at all times assisting the caller to get his call through as quickly as possible. When questioned to the time involved in making a long distance call, Vida Gilbertson, one of the operators, said,”We got a call through to Stockton, Calif., last Sunday in 1 minute, 45 seconds.”
In each of the centers there are 10 booths, eight devoted exclusively to long distance calls, and the other two for local calls to Sparta, La Crosse, Tomah, and surrounding nearby points.
Another operator, Belle Drow, declared, “The most calls we’ve handled in one day, so far, have been 455.”
Dorothy Kellogg at the switchboard cut in to say, “And though we’re only working on a 126-hour schedule at the present, we will be able to handle up to 1,500 calls during a 24-hour period.” The service is expected to be extended soon to a full day’s operation.
FROM THE AUG. 10, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Blasted Japanese battleship: Ex-flier now McCoy employee; Burns recalls Sulu sea flight, other scraps (By Newspaper Staff) — The navigator of the bomber that sought out the big Japanese battleship “Yamata” and planted a 1,000-pound bomb amidships during the crucial Battle of Sulu Sea when the (Japanese) threw in their fleet to try and stop (the U.S.) Philippine invasion is at McCoy.
Gerald W. Burns, of Sparta, former first lieutenant with the 13th Air Force, 307th Bomb Group, 372nd Squadron, has come down to Earth for good and thinks there’s nothing like being a civilian employee operating heavy equipment for the post engineer roads and grounds crew.
Thought it was his last mission
Operating road graders and bulldozers is quite a contrast to riding a bomber over the South Pacific on bombing missions which averaged 11 hours each, Burns said. Believe it or not, he thinks engineer work here is considerably harder than riding … a bomber. “We would lie around for days for weeks at a time between missions,” he explained.
A mission every other day when they were blasting the Japanese island bastion of Truk into uselessness was his busiest time. But his total missions added up to 460 strike hours, sufficient for an honorable discharge.
It was only a single bomber group which discovered the approaching Japanese fleet in the Sulu sea in the Philippines and the Yank bombers each had only three 1,000-pound general purpose bombs, where armor-piercing bombs would have been more reassuring to the Airmen. The planes divided into two attacking groups, and Burns recalled watching 50 percent of the bombers in the first wave go down.
“It was our turn next, and I thought it would be our last mission,” he commented.
Not a scratch for burns
By a miracle, all the bombers in his group returned, although some were peppered by Japanese guns all of whose range was effective at the 10,000 feet the planes came over. Burns added that two crewmen of his bomber were killed in different missions, several others got Purple Hearts, but he came through without a scratch.
The toughest missions he recalled were to Balikpapan, Borneo, to blast vital oil installations. There were 48 planes on the two unescorted missions, which were a flight of 18 and a half hours. On one of the Borneo bombings, Burns’ plane returned with two motors shot out, landing gear smashed, and the pilot seriously wounded.
But the co-pilot, who was also wounded, brought the plane in for a successful crash landing at an unfinished, new jungle field.
FROM THE AUG. 14, 1945, SPECIAL EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Hirihito says: ‘I’ll sign anything;’ important job ahead for McCoy, Gen. Rice asserts (By Newspaper Staff) — Camp McCoy’s importance in the new problems posed by the end of the war were emphasized by Brig. Gen. John K. Rice, commanding general, who declared the task faced by the post in separation of men from the service “parallels anything undertaken here during the fighting years and will task our energies to the utmost.”
The huge job of discharging thousands of veterans from the six-state area serviced by Camp McCoy will swing into high shortly when the War Department is expected to announce its new plans regarding disposition of at least five million men now in uniform.
Originally expected to handle about 300 discharges daily, the center will , it is expected, be discharging 1,000 a day in a few months. Separatees go through seven routine steps before they have their papers and pay and are en route to their homes. The men being discharged undergo a clothing shakedown, take their final physical examination, attend counseling sessions where they are apprised of their benefits as veterans, sign their discharge papers, go through a final clothing inspection, hear a short talk by a chaplain, and then receive final pay.
FROM THE AUG. 31, 1945, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Brother, sister meet at McCoy, he gets papers (By Newspaper Staff) — Brother and sister meet at Camp McCoy!!
It was a happy reunion for Tech. Sgt. John Thompson and Sgt. Ruth Thompson who found plenty to talk about while the former was waiting for honorable discharge papers at the separation center this week.
Tech. Sgt. Thompson, who served 10 months with the 8th Air Force in England, won the Air Medal with five clusters, and wears a distinguished unit citation badge. He has been in service three years.
Sgt. Thompson is assigned to the personnel of the clothing warehouse of the reception center here.
65 Years Ago — August 1960
FROM THE AUG. 4, 1960, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: 102nd Division encampment nears end; Ozark men plan ‘family day’ (By Newspaper Staff) — Units of the 102nd Infantry Division is near the end of another summer encampment here, the 12th in succession for the Missouri and Southern Illinois men.
Plans were being made for a “family day” Friday when wives and children of “Ozark” division members would be guests for the day, watching training activity and displays and demonstrations.
The families and other guests are to see a retreat parade of the entire division at 3:30 p.m. Friday. It will be the concluding assembly of the full command of Maj. Gen. William H. Harrison until the 102nd reassembles here next year for the ANACDUTRA.
All units in the “Pentomic” 102nd were in the Camp McCoy garrison Thursday after completing field bivouac and tactical training exercises.
During one highlight of field training the 327th Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 35th Armor, combined in a spectacular river crossing operation.
60 Years Ago — August 1965
FROM THE AUG. 6, 1965 EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Money is their business (By Newspaper Staff) — In any language $5,250,000 is a lot of money. That is the
projected sum the Camp McCoy finance officer predicts will be paid to military personnel here for this year’s operation, from the period from April 19 to Sept. 15.
First Lt. Robert L. Nussbaum, post finance officer, heads a staff of 11 civilians and eight military personnel in the finance section. Their main mission is to pay Reserve, National Guard, and summer augmentation troops during their tour of duty here this summer. One of the other main duties of Post Finance is to take care of all the travel pay for military personnel here on post.
Although Nussbaum has an experienced staff of military personnel to aid in the smooth, efficient running of his office, one of the main sources of finance experience is from his civilian staff. A total of 52 years finance experience in the Camp McCoy Finance Section is represented by three civilian employees, Mrs. Robert Ott, Mrs. William Keller, and Mrs. Stewart McCoy.
Mrs. Keller, the chief cashier, has been working at this installation since the finance office opened during World War II. The administration expert is Mrs. McCoy whose husband is the grandson of General McCoy, a former commander of the 32nd Infantry Division, and the namesake of this installation.
Her nine years of experience has taught her all the procedures necessary to get things done. The big job of paying all of the Reserve personnel that spend their summers here belongs to Mrs. Ott. She supervises military and civilian personnel in her section as well as assuming the task of training the new members of her staff.
Post Finance is always ready to take care of the financial needs of the military, and in the case of the 102nd Infantry Division who will leave Camp McCoy this weekend, Finance is prepared to pay over $1 million to the men of that unit.
The last day of the month for the individual Soldier and the last pay period for the Reservist and National Guard Soldier is an important event and it is made possible by the staff of Camp McCoy Finance Office. The $5,250,000 that will be paid this year to over 40,000 men is a lot of money but we can be sure that it is and will continue to be paid and handled smoothly by the Post Finance Office.
55 Years Ago — August 1970
FROM THE AUG. 7, 1970, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Large engineer command exists (By Newspaper Staff) — The cry of “Essayons” was shouted throughout Camp McCoy this week. The motto of “Let Us Try” belongs to the Army Engineers.
They are represented by 3,000 engineer Soldiers of the 416th Engineer Command. The 416th, ninth largest Army Reserve Command, is commanded by Brig. Gen. Cyrille P. LaPorte. The combat engineers are represented by the 385th Engineer Group, consisting of' the 397th, 367th ,
495th and the 972nd Engineer Battalions and the 652nd Engineer Company.
Upon arrival at Camp McCoy from 10 states of the 5th Army Area, the 416th Engineer Command set up operations immediately. The following day, men and equipment were moved out for four days of bivouac on North Post, 11 miles out in the boondocks. Motor convoys began in the morning and did not cease until the 700 pieces of engineer and field equipment reached their destinations in the afternoon.
After 50 weeks of intensive training and classroom work, the engineers began two weeks of concentrated field training exercises in map reading, train fire, squad tactics, CBR, field fortifications, surveying, floating bridges, and other engineer subjects to put their training to
practical application.
Visitors to the unit included Lt. Gen. Frederick J. Clarke, chief of engineers, and Maj. Gen. Ward S. Ryan, deputy commanding general of 5th U.S. Army Reserve Forces. The unit was very proud to receive the visit of Clarke, who visited various companies of the battalions of the 385th Group at their training areas and had lunch with the bridge engineers of the 652nd Float Bridge Company. He and his party were very much impressed by the quality of training and the esprit de corps of the engineers.
Field construction was the by-word for units of the 416th Engineers this summer at training. The engineers represented the ninth largest Reserve command in the U.S. Army.
40 Years Ago — August 1985
FROM THE AUG. 22, 1985, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Civil Affairs has unique function (By Jan Symons) — Eighty-five members of 407th Civil Affairs (CA) Company from Fort Snelling, Minn., are conducting annual training at Fort McCoy.
The 407th Civil Affairs Company plays an unique part in the United States Army Reserve. Within the Army Reserve, 36 CA units exist. Of its numerous functions, some are considered primary, others secondary, depending on the particular situation, according to Lt. Col. Ron Sorensen, commander of the 407th.
Coordination with local authorities, host nation support and public health evaluation are often considered primary activities for a CA company, Sorensen said.
In wartime, CA companies work with local authorities to coordinate the movement of displaced persons (those driven from their homes), evacuees (those removed from areas of danger) and refugees.
A CA company also provides support to the host nation in wartime by assessing all possible assets within the local area. When assets are identified, the commander of the occupied area is advised of the community needs and the resources which remain available for troop support.
A public health team consisting of a doctor, a sanitation engineer and a veterinarian evaluates the food supply and storage facilities, livestock, and medical supplies by checking the quantities of those materials which are available in the surrounding communities.
The public health team also does the footwork to identify health problems like epidemics which may endanger troops.
Preservation of arts, monuments and archives, Foreign Internal Defense (FID) and public welfare are often considered secondary concerns of a CA unit, Sorensen said.
“Though considered a secondary function, art preservation could easily become a primary operation of a CA unit depending on the particular location,” Sorensen said.
The FID has the primary function of supervising public education to increase the literacy rate, or knowledge in a specific area such as farming, which may be needed to support American troops.
Public welfare teams assist medical personnel with innoculations and supervising of, the drinking water and sewage programs of the area.
“The overall job of a civil affairs unit is to minimize the impact of tactical operations on the civilian population and to diminish the contact the civilian population has with the tactical operations,” Sorensen said.
During the last two weeks the 407th also conducted community surveys, similar to those used to assess community assets. Survey teams were sent to 13 cities and 11 counties in the area.
30 Years Ago — August 1995
FROM THE AUG. 4, 1995, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Post wins Army Energy Award (By Newspaper Staff) — Energy conservation programs and initiatives in place at Fort McCoy have earned the post first place in the annual Secretary of the Army Energy Conservation Award competition.
Ann Olson, post energy coordinator for the Directorate of Public Works, said the post competed against 21 other Army Reserve Commands and three sub-installations in the Army Reserve installation category for fiscal year 1994.
Installation Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Steve de Kramer and Olson were present at the July 13 ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The post earned second place in- the same competition for the Department of the Army active installations for FY 93.
“Even though we assumed additional responsibilities for- more missions and completed $35.8 million in new construction, we still are making progress to improve our energy usage per square foot," Olson said.
The energy conservation goal was set by the Presidential Executive Order to expand the Energy and Policy Act of 1975. According to the order, federal facilities have until the year 2000 to cut their energy use by 20 percent from 1985 levels.
In FY 1994, which ran from Oct. 1, 1993, to Sept. 30, 1994, Fort McCoy reduced its facility energy usage per square foot by 22 percent compared to 1985 levels. The post also reduced its mobility energy (vehicles) by 52 percent.
Olson said the post will continue to implement new energy-conservation projects. But. there will come a day when all facilities using energy will be energy efficient. When this happens, the post future energy savings will more and more come from consumers being more energy-conservation conscientious and reducing energy usage whenever possible.
20 Years Ago — August 2005
FROM THE AUG. 26, 2005, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: 458th Combat Support Company preparing for mission (By Loni Witscheber) — The 458th Combat Support Company, from Onalaska, Wis., currently is undergoing mobilization training at Fort McCoy while living at Forward Operating Bases (FOB) Zulu and Bulldog.
The 458th, comprised of approximately 120 Soldiers, has trained at Fort McCoy since mid-July and is preparing for a 14-month deployment overseas, beginning this fall.
The unit is made up of Soldiers from Onalaska, Wis., and surrounding areas, with cross-levels from Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Georgia. Though this is the first time the majority of unit members will be deployed overseas, 12 Soldiers have volunteered for a second rotation.
After completing individual task exercises, such as weapons qualification, combatives, and first-aid training, the unit currently is training on collective tasks. Collective tasks train Soldiers to work as a team, such as defending a FOB and manning convoys.
Capt. Matthew Lawrence, the unit commander, said the training at Fort McCoy has been great.
“The Soldiers like it because it’s very realistic. They have the feeling that they’re learning something that’s very worthwhile here,” Lawrence said.
The training has included working side-by-side with former Iraqi citizens for translation/interpreter training to better prepare Soldiers for real-life situations overseas.
Lawrence said that a Soldier in the unit usually plays the role of translator, which is limited training because everything said is understood by everyone. The Iraqis prepare the unit by actually speaking their language, so that it is more of a real-world experience.
“It’s great to have that kind of training,” said Lawrence.
The Soldiers live in a FOB as part of their immersion training. 1st Sgt. Mark Podzimek said the FOB is very realistic and also has improved Soldier confidence.
“In immersion training, the exercises and FOBs get us used to various circumstances that we’ll encounter in-country,” said Podzimek.
Already training on a required schedule, the unit has requested more training exercises. Lawrence said the Soldiers want to return to the ranges and fire more weapons.
“The unit comes together and expects more. They want to keep going, and they’re not satisfied with just going to the range and qualifying.”
10 Years Ago — August 2015
FROM THE AUG. 28, 2015, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY: McCoy facilities, staff focus on support excellence (By Scott T. Sturkol) — August has been a busy month at Fort McCoy with the 86th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX), the Diamond Saber and Red Dragon exercises, plus regularly scheduled training events taking place.
On average, nearly 13,000 service members were on post for training in the first three weeks of August. In July, more than 8,000 troops trained each week, and in June, more than 18,000.
Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) Director Brad Stewart said members of the Fort McCoy workforce always strive to provide “world-class customer service and support,” and busy training times require extra effort.
The installation can support large exercises because of the people who work here, Stewart said. “(Fort McCoy’s) employees and contractors have passion for what they do to support Total Force training and to ensure units depart here at the highest readiness level possible.”
Successful support comes from preparation, Stewart said. An example of that preparation includes Fort McCoy representatives participating in the DPTMS Training Coordination Working Group.
Representatives from each of Fort McCoy’s organizations attend the meetings to synchronize all training support and to identify any gaps or seams in the support and to resolve those prior to a unit or an exercise arriving, Stewart said.
“Outside of that meeting, there always is a lot of crosstalk between units and organizations that occurs,” Stewart said. “It’s constant communication back and forth. It’s working with whoever is in charge of an exercise (or unit) to keep that open line of communication to resolve any gaps that are identified.”
After service members arrive and all planning and preparation have been done with the Fort McCoy staff, operations for training are set up. This includes use of forward operating bases and tactical training bases; troop support facilities and barracks; morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities; and any of the ranges and training areas located throughout Fort McCoy’s 60,000-acre footprint.
Much of Fort McCoy was in use in August for the CSTX and other training. Kert Hanson, branch chief for the Directorate of Public Works Troop Facilities Support Branch (TFSB), said many facilities are signed out by units from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30.
“There are approximately 350 TFSB facilities signed for,” Hanson said. “These include barracks, dining facilities, administrative and maintenance buildings, and basic officer quarters.”
DPTMS Training Support Officer Robert Weisbrod, who manages Fort McCoy’s simulation training complex and related support, said DPTMS supported more than 1,700 service members for the August CSTX on six different trainers, including the Reconfigurable Vehicle Tactical Trainer, Dismounted Soldier Training System, and the Engagement Skills Trainer.
Additionally, approximately 4,500 sets of Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) devices were issued to support training, and certification training on using MILES was provided to more than 50 Soldiers, Weisbrod said.
Logistics Readiness Center Transportation Division personnel have been very busy all year supporting exercises, said Installation Transportation Officer D.J. Eckland. He highlighted the division’s freight and unit-movement sections.
In June, the freight section processed more than 700 pieces of equipment for the Warrior Exercise while simultaneously supporting Army Reserve units in its 28-state support area with shipment requests for training at loca tions such as the Army Support Activity at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and Fort Hunter-Liggett, Calif.
For the August CSTX, the unit movement section received 45 railcars transporting more than 150 pieces of tracked and wheeled vehicles.
The movement of tracked vehicles from the rail area into the training area required close coordination among the Transportation Division, CSTX planners, and the 1158th Transportation Company from the Wisconsin National Guard, Eckland said.
“The use of Heavy Equipment Transporter Systems to transport tracked vehicles, such as M1A2s and M2A3s, provides units like the 1158th with operator training not easily replicated at home station,” Eckland said.
Other areas of the post that see increased use include the LRC Central Issue Facility, Central Fuel Operations, and Food Services; the 88th Regional Support Command Equipment Concentration Site-67; the Wisconsin National Guard Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site; the Network Enterprise Center; and the DPTMS Range Operations, Range Maintenance, and Airfield Services.
Scott Rich, fuels-system worker with Airfield Services of the DPTMS Airfield Division, said action at the Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport increases significantly during the large exercises.
In recent years, the airport and Young Air Assault Strip on South Post have had increased usage by Army helicopters, such as the UH-60 Black Hawk and the CH-47 Chinook, and Air Force aircraft, such as the C-130 Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster III.
5 Years Ago — August 2020
FROM THE AUG. 14, 2020, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Fort McCoy food service team steps up to support training — As the training volume continues to grow at Fort McCoy, Fort McCoy Food Program Manager Rick Runnion with the Logistics Readiness Center (LRC) said his team is staying busy making sure the troops have what they need for food and related supplies.
Since training returned in July, team members with the LRC Food Services Division have had the dining facility in building 50 operational for garrison personnel as well as for troops completing transient-troop and institutional training on post.
“We have a lot of the same COVID safety procedures remaining the same as we’ve had in the past,” Runnion said. “We returned to operations July 7, and our operations tempo remains high.”
A dining facility remained opened for use on Fort McCoy through April 17 — well after the COVID-19 pandemic response had started in March, Runnion said. During that time, they learned how to best set up operations to prevent spread of the COVID-19 virus and still support their customers.
These safety measures include having signs about social distancing and encouraging customers to stand 6 feet apart while waiting in lines. “There’s tape on the ground in dining facilities to help facilitate and encourage patrons to do as needed,” Runnion said.
Runnion said they also have additional measures in place for customers and staff.
“These measures include hand-washing stations outside entrances, encouraging diners to maintain the required social distance, limiting self-service items, and more,” Runnion said. “Additionally, our food-service workers maintain the required social distancing when preparing meals, and they wear additional personal protective equipment, including masks.”
Through August and into September, Runnion said he expects the operations tempo to remain high. In addition to the dining facility in building 50 being in use, units at the installation for training and related activity will be using dining facilities in buildings 2472, 2674, 1872, and 1672.
“A majority of our requests are remote-site feeding with units picking up food service from the dining facility and eating in their training areas,” Runnion said.
Some of the institutional training being supported includes training at Regional Training Site-Medical, Regional Training Site-Maintenance, and the Fort McCoy Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
“The employees on this team — they are all very patriotic,” Runnion said. “I appreciate their dedication to doing their job and doing it well for the Fort McCoy community. We also all know to maintain flexibility and adjust to the changes as they come. Morale is good with all the staff. We have a very important mission, and we will continue to do it.”
FROM THE AUG. 28, 2020, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: DES dispatchers have continued 24/7 operations since pandemic started (By Scott T. Sturkol) — If someone dials 911 at Fort McCoy, someone is always there to answer, said Supervisory Public Safety Dispatcher Richard Kingsbury with the Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) Central 911 Communications/Security Center.
The center, also referred to as DES Dispatch Center at the installation, has maintained its coverage and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, Kingsbury said.
“It was important to keep the dispatch center operational 24/7 to provide support to the Fort McCoy community,” Kingsbury said. “Going forward, it will be business as usual with the operation of the center always providing that 24/7 coverage.”
As the supervisory dispatcher, Kingsbury must possess a working knowledge of fire and emergency services as well as law enforcement operations and the related terms and techniques for those operations.
“A public safety dispatcher’s duties includes providing emergency police, fire, and medical services to the public by answering emergency 911 calls and responding with appropriate personnel and equipment,” Kingsbury said.
Brandie Stello, lead public safety dispatcher at the center, said each dispatcher has an important responsibility when receiving calls to the center.
“Each dispatcher is responsible for caller interrogation to determine the problem and the nature of the call,” Stello said. “Dispatchers prioritize all incoming emergency and non-emergency calls, identify the nature of emergency and the level of response required, and they provide this and any additional information to the responding units.”
Dispatchers use a variety of emergency communications and electronic equipment to complete their duties. This includes equipment that is commonly used by police, fire, ambulance, rescue, or hazardous materials units.
“We also continuously monitor the installation’s alarmed facilities, which are linked to our dispatch site,” Stello said. “We have to determine causes of an alarm, type of facility, and initiate action in accordance with procedures set for that type of facility.”
Dispatchers can also provide emergency medical dispatching assistance to callers with medical emergencies.
“We verify the location (and) call-back number for the incident and then determine the patient’s chief complaint, age, and status of consciousness and breathing,” Stello said. “Caller information may indicate that the patient is unconscious and not breathing, and then we initiate an immediate, appropriate emergency response.
“A caller may be instructed, over the phone, on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the Heimlich maneuver, emergency childbirth, opening an airway, or controlling bleeding,” Stello said. “We maintain continuous telephone contact with caller, when appropriate, during emergency situations and give instructions regarding what to do, and what not to do, prior to the arrival of an ambulance.”
Aaron Demarte, a DES public safety dispatcher, said he’s enjoyed his duties at the center.
“Working as a 911 dispatcher has been very rewarding to me these last few years as I enjoy helping people to the best of my ability,” Demarte said. “Getting people the help that they need has been challenging at times, but also knowing that you can help save someone’s life can be very rewarding.
“I love coming to work every day and really enjoy it here at Fort McCoy, especially with my fellow dispatchers,” he said. “In my opinion, this dispatch section is the best I have experienced throughout my 20-year career in both law enforcement and dispatching.”
Working since the pandemic started has been a bit different, but no service or support was ever degraded, Stello said.
“With our job, it is impossible to telework,” Stello said. “We are essential to the safety of all personnel on the installation. … The pandemic has changed how we respond to calls and what questions to ask. For example, we ask many COVID-19-related questions. Until recently, actually, during the pandemic, we have not been as busy as we normally would be since a lot of people have been teleworking, and we haven’t had all the military members training as we normally would have until recently.”
Demarte said he believes every dispatcher adapted well to the changes to operations the pandemic brought.
“One example of changes was getting used to routinely taking my body temperature and other preventive measures before stepping into the dispatch center,” Demarte said. “Another example was not knowing what the future was going to bring to our section if someone was to get infected. Our leadership then came up with a detailed plan on how we would respond, which relieved some stress from our dispatch center.”
Kingsbury added, “Dispatch has continued operations as normal. And mutual-aid and ambulatory services have run as normal with the exception of COVID questioning prior to the units arriving on scene.
“We have a great group of dispatchers here with great camaraderie and teamwork,” Kingsbury said. “As a supervisor, they are a pleasure to supervise. And together, we will continue providing that 24/7 service for our community.”
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: | 08.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2025 02:00 |
| Story ID: | 545274 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 148 |
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