Cold-Weather Operations Course students jump in for cold-water immersion training at Fort McCoy

Photo By Scott Sturkol | A student in Cold-Weather Operations Course class 22-05 participates in cold-water immersion training March 7, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis. The training is part of the curriculum for CWOC. A large hole is cut in the ice at the lake by CWOC staff, then a safe and planned regimen is followed to allow each participant to jump into the icy water. Emergency-response personnel are also nearby in case they’re needed. As each student took the plunge into the icy-cold water, making sure they also went under water, their reaction was immediate. 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. CWOC class 22-05 was mostly comprised of Airmen but also included Soldiers. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

03.18.2022

Story by Scott Sturkol                                                                                                

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

Students in Cold-Weather Operations Course class 22-05 jump in for cold-water immersion training March 7, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis.

The training is part of the curriculum for CWOC.

A large hole is cut in the ice at the lake by CWOC staff, then a safe and planned regimen is followed to allow each participant to jump into the icy water.

Emergency-response personnel are also nearby in case they’re needed.

As each student took the plunge into the icy-cold water, making sure they also went under water, their reaction was immediate.

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.

CWOC class 22-05 was mostly comprised of Airmen but also included Soldiers.

The training is coordinated through the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security at Fort McCoy.

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 the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”

Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.

• Date Taken: 03.18.2022
• Date Posted: 03.18.2022 14:00
• Story ID: 416748
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US