WEBVTT 00:09.180 --> 00:11.347 I'm Colonel steve messenger , Garrison 00:11.347 --> 00:13.513 Commander at Fort McCoy Wisconsin here 00:13.513 --> 00:16.360 on this installation we have 31 live 00:16.360 --> 00:19.060 fire ranges and in my 22 years in the 00:19.060 --> 00:21.116 army . They are simply the best that 00:21.116 --> 00:23.338 I've seen . And it's not because of the 00:23.338 --> 00:25.820 awesome landscape or the finances of 00:25.820 --> 00:27.987 the planning that we put into it which 00:27.987 --> 00:30.153 is all excellent . It's because of the 00:30.153 --> 00:32.209 people that run it . And today we're 00:32.209 --> 00:34.209 going down to a range . We're gonna 00:34.209 --> 00:36.431 meet Cody Nichols who runs one of these 00:36.431 --> 00:38.542 and see how he operates it behind the 00:38.542 --> 00:42.030 triad . Come on Cody . It is great to 00:42.030 --> 00:44.141 see you again . Thanks for hosting me 00:44.141 --> 00:46.363 out of the range . No problem sir . How 00:46.363 --> 00:48.363 are you today ? I am wonderful . So 00:48.363 --> 00:50.530 what is this place ? What range are we 00:50.530 --> 00:52.641 at ? We are at the tower and range to 00:52.641 --> 00:54.808 it's a multipurpose range . You can do 00:54.808 --> 00:54.700 crew serve qualifications out here as 00:54.700 --> 00:57.100 well as gunnery . So Cody . How do you 00:57.100 --> 00:59.378 start your day ? Let's take a look sir . 00:59.378 --> 01:03.050 I'll show you . Have you take a seat . 01:03.060 --> 01:05.820 What is this thing ? This is a computer 01:05.820 --> 01:08.042 where I control all the targets on this 01:08.042 --> 01:10.209 range . I see them all . How do we get 01:10.209 --> 01:12.542 some down ? Can I play with this ? Yeah , 01:12.542 --> 01:14.264 absolutely . So you can select 01:14.264 --> 01:16.431 individual targets or you can select a 01:16.431 --> 01:18.542 window and all right , it's like this 01:18.542 --> 01:21.090 big old truck tank thing . Alright . 01:21.100 --> 01:23.100 And I'm gonna put it down up here . 01:23.100 --> 01:24.933 Right , correct . The down arrow 01:24.933 --> 01:27.156 supposed conceal . All right , so I hit 01:27.156 --> 01:29.430 the button and oh I see it . It's 01:29.430 --> 01:31.430 slowly going down . Yeah those ones 01:31.430 --> 01:33.597 take a long time because there are two 01:33.597 --> 01:35.819 sheets of plywood so you spend a lot of 01:35.819 --> 01:37.986 time in the tower or don't you like do 01:37.986 --> 01:40.152 you ever go down range ? Oh yes sir we 01:40.152 --> 01:42.319 go downrange to troubleshoot targets , 01:42.319 --> 01:44.810 swap them out . Try to keep every 01:44.810 --> 01:46.699 single target that you see on the 01:46.699 --> 01:48.754 screen serviceable so that units can 01:48.754 --> 01:50.866 optimize their training . Do you have 01:50.866 --> 01:53.032 any targets that need fixing today ? I 01:53.032 --> 01:55.032 actually do there's one right there 01:55.032 --> 01:57.690 that's colored red so we can go 01:57.690 --> 01:59.912 downrange and check that out . Yeah can 01:59.912 --> 02:02.134 we do that now ? Yeah let's go check it 02:02.134 --> 02:05.310 out . Okay so how long have you been 02:05.310 --> 02:07.532 here at Fort McCoy ? I've been here 3.5 02:07.532 --> 02:09.532 years sir . And what brought you to 02:09.532 --> 02:11.699 Fort McCoy ? What the transition to be 02:11.699 --> 02:13.866 honest I just wanted to get out of the 02:13.866 --> 02:16.650 office setting and gonna be outside and 02:17.650 --> 02:19.872 use power tools and drive equipment and 02:19.872 --> 02:21.983 it sounds like you have done that . I 02:21.983 --> 02:23.817 have accomplished that mission . 02:27.220 --> 02:29.420 So Cody . What do you like best about 02:29.420 --> 02:32.170 your job out here ? Well I get to move 02:32.170 --> 02:34.750 around and see all of the beautiful 02:34.750 --> 02:38.410 scenery here . You get 02:38.410 --> 02:41.130 to interact with soldiers that are out 02:41.130 --> 02:43.940 here . Training Cody . What is this 02:43.940 --> 02:46.110 thing ? All right sir this is a target 02:46.110 --> 02:49.070 lifter . This is what makes the target 02:49.070 --> 02:51.292 go up and what makes the target go down 02:51.292 --> 02:53.370 when you shoot at it . So it 02:53.380 --> 02:55.800 communicates through this antenna back 02:55.800 --> 02:59.150 to the tower we're in and it goes up 02:59.150 --> 03:01.150 when I tell it to go up and when it 03:01.150 --> 03:03.261 takes a hit or I tell it to go down , 03:03.261 --> 03:05.372 it goes back down so it automatically 03:05.372 --> 03:07.039 senses a bullet impacting the 03:07.039 --> 03:09.440 silhouette and drops automatically and 03:09.450 --> 03:11.450 then you can pull it back up and be 03:11.450 --> 03:13.960 like try again . I know you're doing 03:13.960 --> 03:16.800 that . Okay , so what are we doing ? 03:16.800 --> 03:19.022 Moving it over ? Roger , we'll grab her 03:19.022 --> 03:21.078 this heavy too , man . Probably like 03:21.078 --> 03:23.900 £50.40 pounds . What's the first thing 03:23.900 --> 03:25.567 we do when we're dealing with 03:25.567 --> 03:27.789 electrical stuff ? Turn off the power , 03:27.789 --> 03:29.940 we got it so we can unplug the yellow 03:29.940 --> 03:31.996 cord from the wall there . Let's get 03:31.996 --> 03:34.107 right here , yep , you gotta twist it 03:34.770 --> 03:36.920 There you go , perfect takeoff the 03:36.920 --> 03:38.980 silhouette . These two little clamps 03:38.980 --> 03:42.540 right here , you rotate them 180° 03:44.270 --> 03:47.230 and then come back over by me . You can 03:49.000 --> 03:51.056 pull it off these little barbs right 03:51.056 --> 03:53.278 here , this guy hasn't gotten shot once 03:53.278 --> 03:55.130 he is the soldier , you want the 03:55.130 --> 03:58.100 soldiers here , he's 03:58.100 --> 04:01.530 clean so you can grab it right here 04:02.740 --> 04:05.000 and we'll pick it up and set it over 04:05.000 --> 04:08.870 here . Alright , there we go . Just 04:08.870 --> 04:11.092 set it over here for now and the dirt . 04:11.100 --> 04:13.560 That's fine , we're gonna take it back 04:13.560 --> 04:16.030 and clean it anyway . Okay then we're 04:16.030 --> 04:18.030 gonna grab this one , try to set it 04:18.030 --> 04:19.980 right on those pins , 04:25.240 --> 04:27.810 it's like a video game , put it right 04:27.810 --> 04:31.270 on , how many times do you change 04:31.270 --> 04:34.250 targets a day a week , A year . It 04:34.250 --> 04:37.610 really depends her . Um I would say 04:37.690 --> 04:41.400 maybe one a day . It depends what are 04:41.400 --> 04:43.289 the different reasons they're not 04:43.289 --> 04:46.500 working . Um blown fuses , we get the 04:46.510 --> 04:48.621 hit sensor that actually detects when 04:48.621 --> 04:50.788 you hit the target is right here right 04:50.788 --> 04:53.190 here , yep . Sometimes these burn out 04:53.190 --> 04:55.320 or just get worn out and don't work 04:55.320 --> 04:59.110 anymore . The motors can go bad 04:59.120 --> 05:01.960 or get loose so we have to repair them . 05:02.350 --> 05:04.517 Most soldiers don't believe these ever 05:04.517 --> 05:08.000 work . I yes sir , 05:08.010 --> 05:10.740 including myself , you know , I have 05:10.750 --> 05:12.972 personally complained about targets not 05:12.972 --> 05:15.410 working before taking hits and whatever . 05:15.420 --> 05:17.720 I saw smoke fly right behind it and 05:17.720 --> 05:19.553 well guess what ? When I started 05:19.553 --> 05:22.470 working out here , we'd take BB guns 05:22.470 --> 05:25.390 out and we test these targets and nine 05:25.390 --> 05:27.557 times out of 10 they go down with a BB 05:27.557 --> 05:29.723 gun . So the next thing we're gonna do 05:29.723 --> 05:31.946 before we put the solar back on , we're 05:31.946 --> 05:31.860 going to test it and make sure that 05:31.860 --> 05:34.027 it's working okay ? So there's a power 05:34.027 --> 05:37.990 switch right here . This 05:38.000 --> 05:41.580 uh this one , Okay ? 05:42.100 --> 05:45.100 And then this lever , if you flick it 05:45.100 --> 05:48.220 up it'll raise the target up . Perfect . 05:48.230 --> 05:50.410 And to lower it down you can push it 05:50.410 --> 05:53.720 down . Okay ? Now raise it up one more 05:53.720 --> 05:57.510 time , will give this a little tap . 05:58.280 --> 06:02.120 Oh I'm a believer , I don't believe it , 06:03.660 --> 06:07.100 just like that . We can clamp this one . 06:08.720 --> 06:11.330 Perfect , raise it up again , just go 06:11.330 --> 06:15.210 for it . Yes . All right , he's doing 06:15.210 --> 06:17.050 the limbo , Give her a tap . 06:19.520 --> 06:21.800 Oh man , you need a BB gun . You just 06:21.800 --> 06:25.500 hit in the face . Awesome . So 06:25.510 --> 06:28.400 target up target down . We just fixed 06:28.400 --> 06:31.580 one more to fix . Sure , we're going to 06:31.580 --> 06:33.469 go replace one of those big truck 06:33.469 --> 06:35.524 targets . Okay . Alright , alright , 06:35.524 --> 06:37.580 that sounds heavier . Let's go . All 06:37.580 --> 06:41.490 right , thanks . We 06:41.490 --> 06:43.650 are going all over this range right 06:43.650 --> 06:45.920 here where we at now ? We are at the 06:45.920 --> 06:48.300 400 m line , we're going to replace a 06:48.310 --> 06:51.410 sat target . A stationary automobile 06:51.410 --> 06:53.521 target . Big target , Nobody can miss 06:53.521 --> 06:56.390 this thing . Yeah , well , be surprised . 06:56.400 --> 06:58.930 Okay , what are we doing out here ? All 06:58.930 --> 07:02.020 right sir . We're gonna remove this 07:02.020 --> 07:05.040 panel to access the screws that hold 07:05.050 --> 07:07.217 the whole piece of plywood to the four 07:07.217 --> 07:09.106 by four . Okay , so before we get 07:09.106 --> 07:11.330 started let's do some P . P . Yes . 07:11.340 --> 07:14.330 Safety first . Got some gloves for you . 07:14.340 --> 07:17.350 Thank you and set of eye pro . Great 07:17.360 --> 07:20.710 thanks . How often do you change these 07:20.710 --> 07:22.766 bigger targets ? Depends on how much 07:22.766 --> 07:24.821 they get used . Some of them survive 07:24.821 --> 07:26.654 all summer and some of them only 07:26.654 --> 07:28.821 survive one weekend of shooting . So , 07:28.821 --> 07:31.099 I am P . P . P . Dup , I'm ready to go . 07:31.099 --> 07:33.266 We're gonna take this blue panel off . 07:33.266 --> 07:35.321 You said roger , so go ahead and use 07:35.321 --> 07:37.970 the screwdriver and there's six screws 07:37.970 --> 07:38.970 holding it in 07:43.220 --> 07:45.590 and we're taking this panel off just as 07:45.590 --> 07:47.646 an accessibility point on the bottom 07:47.646 --> 07:49.701 roger , there's screws underneath it 07:49.701 --> 07:51.646 that we have to remove . These are 07:51.646 --> 07:55.240 gonna be long screws , Hold on . Oh 07:55.840 --> 07:58.970 these are longer . I'll take it for you . 07:59.670 --> 08:00.726 All right , so one 08:04.070 --> 08:07.030 there you go to And then one on the end , 08:07.960 --> 08:11.770 Maybe two on the end . Are you a 08:11.770 --> 08:14.800 Wisconsinite local ? I was born and 08:14.800 --> 08:17.078 raised about a half hour north of here . 08:17.078 --> 08:19.244 She said you just started working here 08:19.244 --> 08:21.244 in 19 . What do you know about Fort 08:21.244 --> 08:23.467 McCoy before you started working here ? 08:23.467 --> 08:27.290 I knew it made big boom . Um growing up 08:27.300 --> 08:29.522 we could hear the noises when they were 08:29.522 --> 08:33.290 shooting the large weapons up in Black 08:33.290 --> 08:36.360 River Falls where I grew up we'll do a 08:36.360 --> 08:40.320 two person left . We'll just grab it 08:40.320 --> 08:42.376 right about here . Yeah , we'll just 08:42.376 --> 08:44.209 lay it off in the snow for now . 08:50.940 --> 08:53.162 Kind of center it right on those four x 08:53.162 --> 08:56.840 4s and the end of it , 08:57.960 --> 08:59.849 we'll have to scooch it forward . 09:01.080 --> 09:04.980 There's a big target . Thanks . 09:09.600 --> 09:11.890 I think we did it . We have a target 09:11.890 --> 09:13.946 that works . Do we test it ? Sure we 09:13.946 --> 09:15.946 can test it right this right here , 09:15.946 --> 09:16.946 look it up . 09:21.830 --> 09:25.820 Oh yeah tanks in the open , ready 09:25.820 --> 09:29.180 for action . Get it right on that . 09:29.190 --> 09:32.890 There you go . There you go 09:34.240 --> 09:37.910 target . Dead truck , blowed up awesome . 09:37.920 --> 09:41.710 Cool . Well this has been an adventure . 09:41.710 --> 09:44.170 I'll tell you what maintaining targets 09:44.180 --> 09:46.291 Cody . I really appreciate all you're 09:46.291 --> 09:48.513 doing out here for four McCoy is a huge 09:48.513 --> 09:50.569 job . This is you know , hundreds of 09:50.569 --> 09:52.791 targets in the snow . The winner of the 09:52.791 --> 09:54.902 ice . Thank you for doing this . This 09:54.902 --> 09:57.124 is super important to the training unit 09:57.124 --> 09:59.124 to come out here and you're doing a 09:59.124 --> 10:01.069 great job . Thanks thanks for your 10:01.069 --> 10:03.360 service . Well , this was a great day 10:03.360 --> 10:05.360 out here at range to learning about 10:05.360 --> 10:07.693 targets , what we do to maintain ranges . 10:07.693 --> 10:09.804 Here's a moving one that you shoot on 10:09.804 --> 10:12.027 the move and it has been an educational 10:12.027 --> 10:13.804 experience here at Fort McCoy . 10:13.804 --> 10:16.082 Fantastic range is 31 live fire ranges , 10:16.082 --> 10:18.460 80 total 60,000 acres of training . 10:18.490 --> 10:20.700 This is the place to train and I'll 10:20.700 --> 10:22.922 tell you if you're looking for a job we 10:22.922 --> 10:25.144 are hiring right now to maintain ranges 10:25.144 --> 10:27.089 as well . So check out the website 10:27.089 --> 10:29.144 below and come on back for next time 10:29.144 --> 10:30.589 behind the triad . Thanks 10:33.290 --> 10:34.540 behind the triad . 10:37.800 --> 10:40.980 You got it really you're not gonna make . 10:41.850 --> 10:44.770 Oh 10:47.220 --> 10:48.810 I know .