Photo By Scott Sturkol | Students participate in a class Oct. 15, 2020, at the Regional Training Site...... read more read more
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Dozens of Soldiers started training at Fort McCoy's Regional Training Site (RTS)-Maintenance complex since October during the first classes of fiscal year 2021 began at the facility.
RTS-Maintenance trains hundreds of Soldiers every year. RTS-Maintenance at Fort McCoy trains Soldiers in the Army’s 91-series military occupational specialty (MOS) and administratively supports the training of Soldiers in the 89B MOS.
RTS-Maintenance, like other institutional training organizations at Fort McCoy, was affected by COVID-19 pandemic response measures taken by the Army and Fort McCoy since March 2020.
Training at Fort McCoy’s Regional Training Site (RTS)-Maintenance returned in July with a full schedule of courses starting.
Sgt. 1st Class Charles Abert, who serves as the course manager for the 91L10 Construction Equipment Repairer Course and its related ALC, said prior to the courses resuming in July that the last course at the facility finished April 5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, during the time between courses, all of the RTS-Maintenance staff remained busy.
“Some personnel were deemed mission essential despite the circumstances,” Abert said. “There are some mission-essential requirements that cannot be done remotely. … Also, based on each individual’s unique skill set here, their help was needed to keep certain aspects of RTS- Maintenance functional during this period of uncertainty.
Abert said every member of the staff prepared for the return of students so all proper safety measures are in place, which continues with the start of new classes for the fiscal year.
“We researched and gathered information about best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and other military units that have trained with COVID-19 precautions,” Abert said.
“This includes making sure we have the proper cleaning products and personal protective equipment such as masks, face shields, gloves. We also have set in place specific cleaning procedures, testing procedures, quarantine procedures and billeting, and more.
“We also have extra personnel devoted to being part of a COVID-19 team that contacts students prior to arrival and asks specific COVID-19 questions throughout,” Abert said. “This team also has procedures for testing students upon arrival, for gathering information, and for providing COVID-19-related information and safety procedures.”
The unit aligns under the 3rd Brigade (Ordnance), 94th Division of the 80th Training Command.
The unit is centrally located in the cantonment area with an entire complex to hold training.
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,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 11.04.2020 12:39 |
| Story ID: | 382362 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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