Photo By Claudia Neve | Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Messenger gives a presentation Jan. 25,...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Messenger held a town hall session with the installation workforce Jan. 25 to provide an update on news and information in the garrison, and more.
This was the first town hall for 2024 for Messenger. “Happy Thursday. Happy New Year! Welcome back from the holidays,” Messenger said.
The garrison commander continued to open by thanking the Fort McCoy workforce for making a difference. He also discussed the Army Civilian Corps Creed and how Fort McCoy people exemplify what that creed stands for.
“So, I just wanted to walk through it with you real quick on the importance of what you do every day,” Messenger said. “(The creed) says ‘I’m an army civilian, a member of an Army team.’ And I tell you, there are not many teams that I have been with that are closer knit and fun than Fort McCoy.
“‘I am dedicated to our Army, Soldiers, and civilians.’ While we talk about the Soldier being the center of gravity, the civilian aspect is so important here,” Messenger said. “This garrison is 99 percent civilians, and (you) support each other … (and) you do it so well.
“‘I will always support the mission.’ … Last week, we had … two snow events and there are mission essential and critical personnel who have to come in even when it snows,” Messenger said. “All of the fire department, the Directorate of Emergency Services and police officers who have to show up … plus other areas. … these are mission essential things that you support in times of hardship. And I really appreciate that.”
Messenger also took time to review a recent climate survey completed in fall 2023. He said approximately 170 people completed the survey for about a 33 percent participation rate.
“I would encourage you for the next survey, which could be in August-September-October and there’ll be a new commander on the ground, … to it be filled out by like 100 percent of the people,” Messenger said. “It’s the best way for a commander to understand the pulse of the unit. At 33 percent, we kinda have a good idea. But if we got everybody, we would just know. And I’ll tell you, I just want to be very clear. There are only four people who see the comment section of the survey. So if you write a comment in there, there are only four people to see it.
“The number one thing that you all said was great about Fort McCoy is it has transformational leadership,” Messenger said. “It means that we have leaders in this organization, or whoever you were thinking about when you answered this particular question, who come here to transform the way we do business, who make good cultural changes, and who care about the people they work with. Eighty-seven percent of the participants said … that we believe Fort McCoy has transitional transformational leadership that’s leading and guiding us into the future.”
Messenger also said the survey showed Fort McCoy has “engaged and committed” leaders.
“(It’s) that we have leadership who care about you, who think about you, and who are engaged to find out what your problems are,” Messenger said. “If you want to be a good leader, you have to do two things. One — you got to like people, and two — you got to do something about it. … This is why I love Fort McCoy so much. This community is so amazing. Sparta, Tomah, Fort McCoy, and the outlying areas. It’s just cool that everybody is connected to each other, so I’m glad the survey talked about that as well.”
Messenger also said the survey also brought to light that some people are seeing higher stress than expected, and some passive and possibly toxic leadership was also noted.
“Thirty-nine percent of the 170 participants said, man, I'm experiencing moderate to high stress at Fort McCoy,” Messenger said. “And that’s an issue. I once read that your boss has more impact on your health than your doctor does, but it applies to your job, too. Your job has more impact on your health than your doctor. It’s interesting. Every time you come into work, it's about your health. So, if we’re putting stress on the force, that’s an issue, that’s a problem.”
The commander said some of the ways combatting stress in the garrison is filling unfilled positions, plus encouraging fitness among employees, and more.
“I’m going to talk to supervisors for a second,” Messenger said. “Supervisors are designed to manage stress. All right? Be approachable, listen to problems, help solve them, break down obstacles. Our job as first-line leaders is to help mitigate stress.”
Messenger also showed the latest Behind the Triad video he was a part of that highlights the new garrison Commander for a Day program. The video, completed by Claudia Neve with the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, highlighted Lt. Ben Meyer with the Directorate of Emergency Services who was the first civilian employee participant on Jan. 11.
“We’re going to do this again,” Messenger said. “We jam packed that thing. There were like 70 events into one day, and in the end, Ben said, ‘Man, that day just went by like like that. It’s fantastic. I’d love to have you join me.”
Fort McCoy employees can learn more about the Commander for a Day program by contacting the Workforce Development Office at the Fort McCoy Directorate of Human Resources.
Messenger also briefed about strategic planning being completed by Fort McCoy.
“Fort McCoy has laid out a very good plan of goals over the next five, 10, and 15 years,” Messenger said. “And this year I just wanted to share you with you the new version of our goals. We did this six months ago, and it takes a look at Fort McCoy in the years 2030, 2035, and 2040. For example, as we look at Fort McCoy in 2030, we can see a vision. … Fort McCoy wants to be the training and mobilization center of excellence. That means when the Army Reserve thinks of training, they think of Fort McCoy. They already do that, whether it’s big exercises … or training like Expert Soldier Badge testing, Expert Infantry Badge testing, and Expert Field Medical Badge training.”
Messenger also noted how the strategic planning also looks at the plans to update buildings and spaces on post, and the addition of units and troops as a possibility.
“A resident Black Hawk company is most likely coming here by 2028,” Messenger said. “There’s a multipurpose training facility … standing up behind 1395 inside the half mile track and having indoor capability to do Army Combat Fitness Tests during the winter time. And then a host of events, maybe town halls, ceremonies, basic warrior tasks and drills, and more. … And then a cantonment redevelopment plan as we look at our buildings. … But (strategic planning) is our North Star and where we’re going, it's a broad look.”
Messenger also discussed and followed up on the following strategic decision points for the garrison he has continuing into fiscal year 2024.
— Implement Leadership Development Program.
— Implement Holistic Health and Wellness Plan.
— Design and Fund Multipurpose Training Facility.
— Develop Garrison Civilian Personnel Concept Plan.
— Enhance Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs and facilities.
— Develop Airfield Area Development Plan.
— Establish “One Stop Shop” processing center.
— Execute water and energy plan.
— Pursue military construction funding — top five projects.
— Sustain existing Infrastructure through Sustainable Readiness Model.
— Implement Strategic Communications Campaign.
— Develop information technology modernization plan/operationalize data.
— Set conditions to station Mission Training Complex at Fort McCoy.
— Conduct a successful full-scale exercise.
— Implement a Garrison common operating picture.
— Conduct a successful fiscal year 2024 exercise season.
— Integrate installation medical capabilities.
— Achieve 100 percent position fill and streamline hiring.
— Publish time and attendance guidance.
— Celebrate 50th anniversary of installation being named Fort McCoy.
And in wrapping up the first town hall/workforce briefing for 2024, Messenger thanked the workforce.
“I want to thank you for supporting my family … and military families like mine,” Messenger said. “It's important. It matters, and you’re making a difference. Thanks for what you do.”
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 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. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2024 15:27 |
| Story ID: | 463067 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 543 |
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