Photo By Scott Sturkol | Students in the Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) class 22-06...... read more read more
Subscribe
Though winter was waning, there was plenty of cold-weather training skills for the 15 Soldiers participating in Fort McCoy’s Cold-Weather Operations Course class 22-06 to learn in late March.
The students held their last training events March 25 at Big Sandy Lake completing cold-water immersion, Arctic tent building and stove installation, and more. Over the 14 days of their training, the students saw plenty of challenges.
“Class 22-06 was a slightly smaller than our usual class sizes due to some unforeseen circumstances,” said CWOC Instructor Hunter Heard, who coordinates training with fellow instructors Manny Ortiz, Brian Semann, and Joe Ernst. All are with contractor Veterans Range Solutions, which works with Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization, and Security to complete the training. “However, with the smaller class size, the instructors were able to give more one-on-one time with the students which proved valuable when teaching some of the hands-on, bushcraft and fieldcraft skills.”
Heard said that during several days of class 22-06’s training, there was some unusually warmer weather.
“Due to that weather we experienced, we were forced to modify the training schedule slightly,” Heard said. “And even with the modified schedule, and warmer weather, the students of class 22-06 kept a great attitude the whole time, and did a great job as a class. It was a great way to close out the season.”
During CWOC, students completed nearly 40 kilometers of marches during training. They also learned how to pack and use ahkio sleds to carry and move gear, and they practice extensively in building the Arctic 10-person cold-weather tent as well as improvised shelters from what’s available.
Course objectives also include focusing on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, developing winter fighting positions, camouflage and concealment in a cold-weather environment, cold-water immersion reaction and treatment, and injury prevention, Heard said.
Attending CWOC training was a great experience for Spc. Alexander Ditmanson with the 13th Psychological Operations Battalion (POB) of Arden Hills, Minn.
“The course expanded my knowledge base and leadership skills to operate in a cold-weather environment,” Ditmanson said. “It reinforced the importance of cold-weather operations as it pertains to our battalion’s area of operations, and it is also fun and exciting training that is also lifesaving. … I will be able to bring my knowledge of how to operate and maintain gear in a cold environment to training other Soldiers. … Fort McCoy also is an ideal location for this training because the weather is unpredictable and this teaches Soldiers to be resilient and (find ways) to continue the mission.”
Part of the course training also requires students to learn how to build improvised shelters and to learn more about the proper wear of the Army’s Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS). Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Blumer, also a student with the 13th POB, said learning those skills and more were especially helpful.
“This course has definitely given me a greater set of skills,” Blumer said. “I’ve also got a better understanding of how cold weather affects troops and equipment. And it was great to learn more about the ECWCS. … The lack of snow was sort of a let-down because we didn’t get to practice skiing. However, I believe that also allowed for more focus on building survivability skills. Also, the instructors were great, knowledgeable, and were very patient and informative.”
On building fieldcraft skills, student Spc. Skyler Swender, also from the 13th POB, cited one skill he’s glad to have achieved. “I can light a fire in any weather condition,” he said.
Staff Sgt. Carol Maluafou with the Army Reserve’s 980th Quartermaster Company (Supply) based in Eau Claire, Wis., said being a student in this class was a great experience for her.
“This course taught me the importance of teamwork and that communication is key,” Maluafou said. “I also learned that understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the people you work with are important. As a leader, I have improved on my communication skills during this course.”
Maluafou said the many areas of instruction were great.
“Powerpoints were necessary but the ability to work together as a team to build a fire from scratch, to build and improvised shelter from resources available in the field, and motivating each other during the cold-water immersion training were the best parts of this course,” she said. “Also the instructors were amazing. The wealth of knowledge that I’ve received from all of them combined gave me skills and knowledge that I will keep for a lifetime.”
The Fort McCoy CWOC training is modeled after the Cold-Weather Leader Course taught by the Army Northern Warfare Training Center at Black Rapids, Alaska. For each class, students start off with classroom training in building 224 and then move into various aspects of field training over 14 days.
“This course gave me the skills and knowledge to better myself and my unit to operate in the winter months,” said student Sgt. Brittany Sanchez, also a Soldier with the 980th. “These skills we learned (in CWOC) can be passed and shared with all our units.”
The 2022-23 CWOC training season will tentatively begin in December.
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: | 04.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2022 16:25 |
| Story ID: | 418996 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort McCoy’s final CWOC session for 2021-22 season graduates 15 Soldiers, by Scott Sturkol, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
