Snowshoeing among critical skills practiced, learned by students in CWOC at Fort McCoy

Photo By Scott Sturkol | Students in Cold-Weather Operations Course Class 20-01 move through the snow and terrain on snowshoes during training Dec. 12, 2019, on North Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and skiing as well as how to use ahkio sleds and other gear. Training also focuses on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment. The training is coordinated through the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort McCoy. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

12.17.2019

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                               

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Each class of the Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) at Fort McCoy requires a lot of field time during the 14 days of training, said Instructor Hunter Heard

And a good portion of that field time includes students completing their movements on snowshoes. In a cold-weather, snow-filled environment, having snowshoes and the skill to use them is crucial, Heard said, who works for contractor Veterans Range Solutions, which supports the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, or DPTMS.

Students spend 20-30 hours training on the snowshoes and using them in the field, Heard said.

During the course, students use ahkio sleds to haul all of their equipment, and they will traverse through nearly dozens of miles of terrain, much of that on snowshoes.

Former CWOC student, ROTC Cadet John Reid Bailey of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, said participating as a student in CWOC doing field time with snowshoes and other equipment helped him better understand what it takes to operate in cold weather.

“Coming into this course, I had never enjoyed the cold or operated in it,” Bailey said. “Learning how to thrive in this course provided me with much-needed skills.”

Guiding students all the way through the training regimen, including teaching them when to use snowshoes, are the instructors.

“The instructors were critical in the success and enjoyment of the course,” said former CWOC student 2nd Lt. Mitchell Reis with B Company, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry, 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, of New Richmond, Wis. “All of them are intelligent subject-matter experts and are easily approachable.”

In addition to snowshoeing, students also learn about a wide range of cold-weather subjects, including skiing, use of ahkio sleds, and setting up the Arctic 10-person cold-weather tent. Training also teaches terrain and weather analysis, risk management, proper cold-weather clothing use, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and more.

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 each 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.”

• Date Taken: 12.17.2019
• Date Posted: 12.17.2019 14:32
• Story ID: 356037
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US