As 2025 progressed, the second half of the year included more training with thousands of troops coming to post and the big construction projects continued to grow in progress.
The second half also saw work begin on renovating the U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters, a successful Retiree Appreciation Day, hundreds of visitors to Fort McCoy’s Commemorative Area, a government shutdown, and more.
JULY
— Fort McCoy conducted a July session of the Safety and Occupational Health Advisory Council (SOHAC) on July 8 that included Fort McCoy Garrison representatives from all directorates and offices.
This meeting, led by the Fort McCoy Installation Safety Office (ISO) was presided over by Fort McCoy’s Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon. Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major, also was present for the meeting as well as directorate and special staff leaders.
Installation Safety Manager Ed De Leon led the discussion throughout. He began discussing the Army Safety and Occupational Health System, citing the importance for leaders, supervisors, and the workforce to complete necessary safety training.
De Leon also discussed the 101 Days of Summer Safety awareness campaign and why this awareness is important.
“Twenty-five percent of garrison safety incidents occur between Memorial Day weekend and June 30,” De Leon said.
He also discussed vehicle accident trends, noting that 66 percent of recordable Army accidents involve a motor vehicle, and one-third of safety incidents for fiscal year 2025 for Fort McCoy are vehicle related.
De Leon then addressed risk management and what it is.
“Army Risk Management is a systematic, five-step process used to identify, assess, and control risks associated with all hazards that could impact personnel, equipment, or mission success,” De Leon said in giving the definition. “It’s a decision-making tool designed to balance the potential costs of risk against the benefits of achieving the mission. The goal is to maximize operational effectiveness and ensure mission accomplishment while minimizing potential negative impacts.”
— Getting warrior tasks, weapons training, and completing troop projects were among the many things Soldiers with the Army Reserve’s 389th Engineer Battalion and associated units did during their annual training in the second half of July 2025 at Fort McCoy.
The 389th Engineering Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Scott Lardinois said he appreciates it when his unit can complete some work for Fort McCoy and get their training done as well.
“(Fort McCoy) is a great facility for us,” Lardinois said. “You guys actually let us do construction and get after our combat side. So, we appreciate being here. We appreciate the hospitality.”
Lardinois said 389th troops, including many with the 411th Engineer Company, were training all throughout the post. The majority of troops with them set up their training operations from Tactical Training Base Valor on Fort McCoy’s North Post.
“Usually when we come up here we occupy this whole area … because we’re the only ones,” Lardinois said. “It’s a good area to train in.”
The commander said his troops completed combat training, and more, and also stepped in to support several troop projects on post.
Larry Morrow, troops projects coordinator with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW), said troop projects were numerous. They included constructing buildings at the Enemy Prisoner of War-2 training area, helping with a sidewalk project on J Street in the cantonment area, hooking up vacuums at the installation’s car wash, pouring concrete at South Post locations, hardening tank trails, running electrical lines at Pine View Campground, and more.
— Actor/musician Gary Sinise and his fellow members of the Lt. Dan Band held a concert July 13 in front of nearly a thousand concert-goers in front of McCoy’s Community Center at Fort McCoy.
The two-hour free concert by the 20-plus years old band included free food for the guests, courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation, and more. Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DEFMWR) as well as Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) provided direct support on the day of the event.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Ricciardi, 88th Readiness Division commanding general and Fort McCoy senior commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, Fort McCoy Garrison command sergeant major, provide opening remarks at the beginning of the concert.
“Thank you for coming out to this incredible event,” Ricciardi said. “I’d like to take the opportunity very quickly to thank the Fort McCoy MWR and DES for this setup and keeping us safe today.
“We are very fortunate to have Mr. Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band performing us today,” Ricciardi said. “For nearly 40 years, Gary Sinise has stood as an advocate for America’s servicemen and women. Beginning with his support of Vietnam veterans in the early 80s and his portrayal of Lt. Dan Taylor in the landmark film, Forrest Gump, 30 years ago, he’s formed an enduring connection with servicemembers throughout the military community.
“After the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, he began a full-on mission to serve and support our first responders and military personnel, lending his services to charities across the country,” the major general said. “He formed Lt. Dan Band in 2003, and in the last 20 years, Gary and the band have played more than 580 concerts in support of active duty-troops, veterans, Gold Star families, wounded servicemembers, and our first responders. Tonight’s concert is generously supported and sponsored by the Gary Sinise Foundation. So ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.”
The band plays a wide variety of pop and rock music as well as some country selections. In addition to Sinise, band members also include Gina Gonzalez, Mari Anne Jayme, Jeff Vezain, Kirk Garrison, Danny Gottlieb, Beth Gottlieb, Dan Myers, Ernie Denov, Ben Lewis, Mitch Paliga, Julie Dutchak, Molly Callinan, and Tom “Bones” Malone.
During the show, Sinise discussed more about his history and why he and everyone with the band and his foundation take time to support military members, veterans, and their families.
— Leaders with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy took time July 24 to hold a pair of town hall meetings with the installation workforce where they took questions, provided updates about ongoing personnel programs, and reviewed upcoming events with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
Fort McCoy Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon led the effort on both meetings. Cantlon gave updates on news and information within the garrison. He discuss the ever-changing environment in the workplace that continues to face the workforce.
The meetings also gave people a chance to further meet the new garrison command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle. This was Riddle’s first town hall with the Fort McCoy workforce.
Riddle became the new senior enlisted leader for Fort McCoy Garrison on May 16. During the ceremony, Riddle assumed duties as garrison command sergeant major (CSM) from Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Calarco, who retired from the Army. Immediately prior to this assignment, Riddle served as the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command G-3/5/7 sergeant major from July 2023 to April 2025 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
During the May 16 ceremony, Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon welcomed Riddle and said thanks to Calarco for his service.
”Tom, thank you for being there for both the military and civilian workforce all the time,” Cantlon said. “You took a positive spin on everything. You participated. And you made the formation your priority. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely appreciate it. Tom and Sharon, you will be missed.
“Command Sgt. Maj. Riddle … (and) family, welcome to a great team,” Cantlon said. “Can’t wait to spend the next two years with you here. I’ll look forward to each and every day.”
— U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) received a new commander July 11 during a change-of-command ceremony in building 905 at Fort McCoy.
During the ceremony, Maj. Zachary Daugherty took the reins of command from Maj. Randy Downs. Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon presided over the ceremony. First Sgt. Thomas Ninkovich, company first sergeant, also participated in the ceremony.
Daugherty said he was thankful to become the new company commander.
“I would like to thank the Fort McCoy leadership team … for selecting me for this position,” Daugherty said. “I am truly humbled and honored to assume command of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the United States Army Garrison-Fort McCoy. This is truly an incredible team with a proud legacy and a vital mission. Know that I am grateful to be a part of it. Thank you for the trust.
— Soldiers with the Iowa National Guard’s 248th Aviation Support Battalion and Detachment 1, Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment held training July 14 at Fort McCoy’s Young Air Assault Strip on South Post as well as other areas on South Post.
The aviation Soldiers were not only utilizing the Forward Air Refueling Point (FARP) at Young airstrip but also were operating a UH-72A Lakota helicopter for training as well.
According to a fact sheet about the UH-72A at https://www.army.mil/article/137585/UH\_72A\_LAKOTA, the airframe “provides a flexible response to homeland security requirements such as search and rescue operations, reconnaissance and surveillance, and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions.”
The fact sheet also states the UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter “will conduct general support utility helicopter missions and execute tasks as part of an integrated effort with other joint services, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.” The helicopter is to be deployed only to non-combat, non-hostile environments. The UH-72A is a variant of the American Eurocopter U.S.-produced EC-145.
Additionally, “the UH-72A is a twin-engine, single-main-rotor commercial helicopter. It has seating for two pilots and up to six passengers or two NATO standard litters. Two Turbomeca Arriel 1E2 engines, combined with an advanced four-blade rotor system, provide lift and speed in a wide range of operating conditions. The UH-72A can be configured with two NATO standard litters, passenger seating for a medical attendant and a crew chief. The UH-72A is equipped with modern communication and navigation avionics. It includes a three-axis autopilot and single pilot Instrument Flight Rules capability. The cockpit is compatible with night vision devices.”
The aviation Soldiers were among hundreds of Iowa-based troops completing annual training at Fort McCoy in July. Training like this often takes place at Young Air Assault Strip, too, according to officials with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
— Soldiers at Fort McCoy for training conducted convoy training practice as they drove military trucks in a convoy throughout the installation.
The trucks and Soldiers were with the 411th Engineer Company of the 389th Engineer Battalion — which are Army Reserve engineer units based in Iowa. These engineers were at Fort McCoy for annual training as well as supporting troop projects for training.
Larry Morrow, troop projects coordinator with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works, said these engineers were among many working at the installation doing projects all around the base.
Some of those projects included constructing buildings at a South Post training area, sidewalk replacement along J Street on Fort McCoy’s cantonment area, putting down concrete at three houses on South Post, hooking vacuums at the car wash on post, hardening trails behind Range 100 on South Post, and many others.
Morrow said he was happy to see all the work get done by the 389th Soldiers. He also said the continuing support he receives to improve Fort McCoy through troop projects is always appreciated.
— Soldiers with the Army Reserve’s 389th Engineer Battalion literally moved earth during training on July 25 as part of an ongoing troop construction project just outside the cantonment area fence at Fort McCoy, Wis.
The project work is located in an area of land near the old Gate 20 and Logistical Support Area Liberty and the cantonment area fence, said Larry Morrow, troops projects coordinator with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW).
The site plan is to make it into a base operations support site for installation service contractors, such as facility maintenance, roads and grounds, solid waste, custodial, pest management, and more, Morrow said in a previous news article.
DPW Operations and Maintenance Division Chief Nate Sobojinski also said in a previous news story that Fort McCoy DPW is combining all of its service contractors in one location near commercial gate access to keep suppliers from having to drive around post bringing supplies to various locations.
While the post is continuing developing this site for base operations support contractors, Sobojinski said a lot of material has been taken, and will continue to be taken, from the site in the future for other projects.
“We will have ample material to use the site as a borrow fill site,” Sobojinski said in 2022. “This site allows easy access for North Post range work and other project areas.”
During their work in July, 389th engineers moved tons of dirt with large bulldozers and other equipment while reshaping the area. The project has been ongoing for several years and each time a unit works at the site, it gets that much closer to being completed for use, Morrow said.
Since the troop project in this area began, many engineer units have completed work on the site. The 389th is just the latest in a long line of engineer Soldiers building on the progress of previous units working there. Work will continue to be ongoing in the entire area, officials said.
— Soldiers with the 372nd Engineer Company, an Army Reserve unit out of Pewaukee, Wis., worked on a troop Project replacing broken sidewalk sections on J Street during their annual training in June at Fort McCoy.
The 372nd Soldiers worked for several days to prepare the area as well as manage the concrete pours to set in the new sidewalk. Through this work, engineer troops get the training they need, and the installation benefits from the work they do to improve Fort McCoy training ranges and quality-of-life programs, post officials said.
This isn’t the first time the 372nd has completed work at Fort McCoy either. In previous years the unit’s Soldiers have completed a wide variety of work on post. Fort McCoy Troop Projects Coordinator Larry Morrow with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works said it was a significant amount of work. Soldiers with the 372nd team put in new aggregate on the base, and set in forms to pour concrete for the new stretch of sidewalk.
— Ever since late-June, construction on the $55.75 million Collective Training Officers Quarters Project at Fort McCoy has included the contractor building the framework for the first building on the site.
Ken Green with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Resident Office at Fort McCoy said the project is now 13 percent complete and rising daily. In his July 18 update, Green gave the latest actions.
“On the west building, slab prep/placement continued,” Green wrote in the update. “The west building structural steel also continued, and Nelson stud placement started on deck #2.
“East building electrical rough-in continued,” Green stated. “And also on the east building, footings and pier rough-in and placements continued.”
— As of mid-July 2025, Fort McCoy’s South Barracks Project was edging ever closer to completion with a variety of work being completed.
Nathan Butts with the Resident Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Fort McCoy’s South Barracks Project has reached 94 percent complete in his July 11 update about the project.
Butts said the contract completion date is currently Aug. 20.
The contractor for the project, BlindermanPower (Construction), received the notice to proceed with construction on Sept. 26, 2023, and has 780 calendar days to complete the project. At this point, Green said the project is on time.
As stated in previous news updates, the project requires building a four-story, 60,000-square-foot barracks that can house 400 people. Two other barracks of the same specifications have already been built in the same block at the installation since 2019.
Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works officials said overall this project is part of a big transformation taking place at the 1600 block that includes the building of four barracks — two of which are already done, three brigade headquarters buildings, and two planned transient training officer quarters, according to the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works.
In the July 11 update, Butts also wrote everything that is getting completed.
“Contractor is working on their punch-list items,” Butts wrote. “Interior cleaning continued. Painting continued with touch-ups being completed. Exterior parking lot concrete continued.”
— The Army Community Service’s 60th birthday was celebrated among dozens of Soldiers and civilian workforce members July 25 at McCoy’s Community Center at Fort McCoy.
The event, organized by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) and the Fort McCoy Army Community Service Office, featured opening words by several Fort McCoy leaders as well as a cake-cutting ceremony and free food for all in attendance.
During the opening comments, a lot of praise was made about what ACS has done the last 60 years as well as how the organization continues to be an integral form of support for Soldiers and their families.
“It’s fantastic to have all of you here,” said Fort McCoy ACS Director Sylvia Lopez. “For six decades, ACS has been the cornerstone of support for our military community. We’ve adapted to the changing times, evolving needs, and the challenges faced by those we serve.
“But our core mission has remained constant, to strengthen our Soldiers and their families, and to build a resilient community,” Lopez said. “Today is a celebration of that commitment, it’s a celebration of the lives touched, the challenges overcome, and the unwavering dedication of all of those who have served.
— Two crews from Wisconsin Conservation Corps (WisCorps) made a special visit to Fort McCoy’s Commemorative Area on July 11 during one of the open hours’ days at the area where people at Fort McCoy can go see all the area has to offer.
The nine people in the crews were accompanied by Natural Resources Specialist Jessica Salesman with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. Together they walked through all the areas of the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area.
— Leaders with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy’s leadership team as well as other garrison members attended a special “Business after 5” event July 23 to continue Army community engagement efforts with local elected and business leaders.
The event was held at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Tomah, Wis., and included members of both the Tomah Chamber of Commerce as well as the Sparta (Wis.) Chamber of Commerce. The event was part of the opening day for the 2025 Monroe County Fair.
Attending for Fort McCoy were Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon as well as Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major. Also attending were members of the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office as well as the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
The fair was held July 23-27 and many from the Fort McCoy community took part in the fair as many who work at Fort McCoy live within Monroe County.
— Leaders with Fort McCoy Garrison and installation agencies met July 17, 2025, with community leaders and workforce professionals in Sparta, Wis., during the Fort McCoy Area Workforce Collaborative Meeting.
The meeting brought together people who are working to improve employment opportunities in the region, including at Fort McCoy. Among those attending the meeting were Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, Fort McCoy Garrison command sergeant major; Maj. Zachary Daugherty, commander of U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy Headquarters and Headquarters Company; and representatives from several other post agencies to include Army Community Service, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, and Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
Officials at the meeting noted the collaboration is helpful in filling jobs at Fort McCoy, and also helps people like military family members learn about opportunities for employment.
— Approximately 45 people over two tours from the Natural Resources Foundation (NRF) of Wisconsin visited Fort McCoy on July 14 to participate in a butterfly field day at the installation for a third straight year.
The Fort McCoy coordination for the field trip was again led by Endangered Species Biologist Jessup Weichelt with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch (NRB) and supported by Natural Resources Specialist Jessica Salesman, also with the NRB.
Weichelt said the weather for the event was good, and the turnout for both the morning and afternoon tours was also good. “The mission is always to find as many butterflies as we can,” Weichelt said.
For the 2025 field day, the 45 participants matched the 2024 number of participants. Three years ago, 19 people participated in the field day.
Weichelt the participants all paid a fee to the NRF for the trip “that goes toward natural resource management in Wisconsin.”
As far as how the day went, Weichelt said the visitors were able to see some of the rare endangered butterflies that seem to thrive at Fort McCoy.
“We mostly observed various common skippers like the Dun and Tawny Edge Skipper as well as a good amount of Regal Fritillary, Gorgone Checkerspot, Eastern Tailed Blue and Spring Azure butterflies,” Weichelt said. “The weather did get a little hotter than you would like for butterfly surveys, but it didn’t completely deter butterflies from being out. We were able to see the rare Ottoe Skipper with both groups as well as Karner Blue Butterflies and the Regals, which are what I consider the big three for this tour.”
— An interesting artifact, a 100-plus-year-old panoramic photograph, was donated to the Fort McCoy History in July 2025 by a Wisconsin resident who believes she had family descendants in the photograph.
That resident, Joyce Thorson from Augusta, Wis., brought the long panoramic photo to the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and the History Center. Augusta is located near Eau Claire, Wis., and Joyce visited Fort McCoy on July 11 with her husband Delton Thorson.
The photo shows the 1st Regiment, 10th Battalion of the Wisconsin National Guard. The picture also shows that it was taken at “Camp Bruce E. McCoy.”
According to installation history, Camp Bruce E. McCoy — named in honor of Robert Bruce McCoy’s father — was the official designation of the site from 1910 until it was renamed “Camp McCoy” on Nov.19,1926.
In 1909, the U.S. War Department purchased about 14,000 acres in west-central Wisconsin, creating the Sparta Maneuver Tract. This tract was split by a railroad into two sites: Camp Emory Upton (north) and Camp Robinson (south). In 1910, following $40,000 in improvements, the combined site was renamed Camp Bruce E. McCoy, honoring the Civil War veteran and father of Maj. Gen. Robert B. McCoy.
From 1910-1919, the camp expanded significantly, hosting artillery training during World War I and constructing new facilities, the history states. Training paused from 1919 to 1923 when the site served as the Sparta Ordnance Depot.
— In June 2025, Linda (Wendel) Dehaven contacted the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office by email to discuss some old photos she found taken by her father while serving in the Army at then-Camp McCoy, Wis.
The photos and the time her father served were during the 1950s. Her father, former Sgt. Donald Wendel with the 110th Engineer Battalion of the Missouri National Guard, served within the Army engineer field during his entire service in the National Guard.
“My dad was a lifelong Missouri resident,” Dehaven said. “He was born in Raytown, Mo. Then bought the family farm in 1952. He owned and operated Wendel Dairy Farm his whole life. My dad passed away in 1990, he was 55. He died from an aneurysm.
“He had four children, Bill, Bob, me, and Mary,” Dehaven said.
The photos were donated by Dehaven and the Wendel family to Fort McCoy to be included in the installation’s historical archives, which are located within the Fort McCoy History Center at the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area.
— The 19th Wisconsin Government Opportunities Business Conference (GOBC) kicked off at Fort McCoy on July 30 at building 905 giving an opportunity for businesses to engage with federal and state government agencies.
Hosted across various Department of Defense and federal agency locations throughout Wisconsin, this year’s conference series centered on enhancing procurement prospects and fostering connections between businesses and key governmental entities.
Keynote sessions highlighted current operational priorities at Fort McCoy and other government contracting opportunities at government facilities across Wisconsin.
Fort McCoy Deputy to the Garrison Commander Cameron Cantlon and Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, top enlisted leader to U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, both participated in discussing Fort McCoy and federal opportunities for the businesses. Also included was a representative from Mission Installation Contracting Command-McCoy.
— On July 23, the Fort McCoy Fisheries Program partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the La Crosse County (Wis.) Land Conservation Department to collect mottled sculpin from Fort McCoy waters and then restock them into a Brook Trout Reserve Stream in La Crosse County where mottled sculpin are absent.
Brook trout (the only native stream species of trout in Wisconsin) and mottled sculpin, need cold-water streams to survive, said Fishery Biologist Steven J Rood with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. Unfortunately, with the gradual increase in both air and water temperatures, some streams in Wisconsin have begun to see brook trout abundance decline.
The Wisconsin DNR Brook Trout Reserve Program has identified streams that, because of the surrounding landscape and hydrologic conditions, will buffer the warming effects and should continue to sustain a cold-water fishery in the future.
Efforts by the WDNR are underway to enhance these Brook Trout Reserve streams, to include stocking them with their native fish species, in this case mottled sculpin. Since Fort McCoy is located in the headwaters of the La Crosse River, Fort McCoy Streams are fed by groundwater upwelling which helps keep the streams at a preferred temperature for fish like brook trout and mottled sculpin. Because of this, nearly every stream on Fort McCoy is designated as a Brook Trout Reserve Stream and is home to an abundant population of cold-water fish species, Rood said.
“Also on hand from WDNR were veterinarians to complete fish health certificates to ensure all fish were free of disease and could be moved to other waters,” Rood said. “These inspections are extremely important to prevent pathogens from moving in between waters. This is one of the reasons in the state of Wisconsin, including Fort McCoy, it is illegal to move live fish in between waters or dump unused bait into the water.”
AUGUST
— Soldiers with the 469th Combat Engineering Company (Infantry) and 402nd Combat Engineering Company held a large detonation on Fort McCoy on Aug. 3 on the installation’s impact area on North Post.
Both engineer companies are with the Army Reserve and train regularly at Fort McCoy. Staff Sgt. Nathan Schulke said in an interview with Greg Mason of the Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office right before the blast what they had planned to do.
“Today we’ll be firing off a MICLIC, or a Mine Clearing Line Charge,” Schulke said. “This is a breaching tool that the Army and the Marine Corps use to breach minefields.
“Basically, it’s going to be firing a rocket followed by a line of over 2,000 pounds of explosives, and that will clear a path through the minefield,” Schulke said. “It’s a pretty big deal because firing a live rocket and a live charge is rarely seen in a training environment.”
The pre-planned effort was completed in the pre-determined location just as expected. The resulting explosion could be heard not just on the installation but in areas outside the post’s borders as well.
According to a military fact sheet about the MICLIC at https://jpeoaa.army.mil/Portals/94/CCS/FactSheets/TSO/MICLIC%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf?ver=L0RsbJVbB1e7pOcdYrDRxQ%3d%3d, it states the “Mine Clearing Line Charge is a system of systems consisting of a rocket-propelled explosive line charge fired from a MK155 launcher mounted on a M200A1 trailer.
“The M58 linear demolition charge is propelled over the minefield by a MK 22 5-inch rocket motor and then detonated by command wire, clearing a vehicle wide lane 100 meters long,” the fact sheet states. “The M58 linear demolition charge is 350 feet long, consisting of three 100-foot sections and one 50- foot section which in total contain 700 C4 block charges.
“The MICLIC ammo components can also be fired from the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle,” the fact sheet states.
The 469th was also highlighted doing explosive breach training at Fort McCoy in 2021. In a story by Cheryl Phillips with the 88th Readiness Division Public Affairs Office, the 469th’s Soldiers were breaching doors at Fort McCoy’s live-fire explosive breaching range.
“Unit first sergeant, Master Sgt. Bradley Schmoll, described the breaching capability as a ‘niche’ the engineers can employ in an urban locale,” the article states at https://www.usar.army.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2708549/469th-engineer-company-soldiers-explode-into-action. “The engineers spent the afternoon learning how to form a half dozen different types of charges at the live fire explosive breaching range. Each charge serves its own purpose and gives off a different type of explosion. … For normal urban breaching operations, there are usually about four to six people, including the combat engineers and the assault force, in a stack (the line of people), behind a Kevlar blast blanket. Once a door is breached, for example, the assault force can storm the building.
“Before setting off the charge, the Soldier with the detonator counts down from five,” the article states.
The 469th and 402nd Soldiers were at Fort McCoy for two weeks of annual training and this event was one of the main highlights of their training.
— First Army’s 181st Infantry Brigade (Multifunctional Training Brigade), responsible for partnering with the reserve component to advise, assist, and train units to mobilize and meet combatant commander requirements, hosted a change of command to welcome a new commander Aug. 5.
U.S. Army Col. Stewart U. Gast assumed command from Col. Charles W. Wells of the 181st MFTB during a ceremony presided over by Lt. Gen. Mark Landes, commander of First Army.
Gast is arriving to Fort McCoy from South Korea, where he served as the Combined Forces Command Assistant Chief of Staff Deputy Engineer and the U.S. Forces Korea Engineers Chief of Plans and Operations. Gast also brings a wealth of experience in training from serving as a Brigade Engineer Battalion Senior OC/T at JRTC.
“It is an honor and a privilege of a lifetime to be standing here today, taking command of such an important organization at this time in our history,” said Gast. “I understand our mission, its importance, and I will ensure we meet our goals.”
— Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, a Wisconsin Army National Guard unit that operates the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), conducted training at Fort McCoy, Wis., on Aug. 25, 2025, at a live-fire range at Fort McCoy.
The unit conducts training and live-fire exercises with HIMARS regularly at Fort McCoy as well as Camp Ripley, Minn.
The unit has been involved in international training, such as rapid deployment operations with the Swedish armed forces.
— Approximately 7,000 U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers, alongside allied and partner forces, converged on Fort McCoy for Global Strike and Global Medic during the 2025 Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX), a large-scale, multi-domain training event designed to prepare units for the transforming battlefield of the future.
Led by the 78th Training Division, in coordination with the 412th Theater Engineer Command and the Medical Readiness and Training Command (MRTC), CSTX sharpened skills across engineering, medical, sustainment, security, and logistics operations. The exercise replicated complex, high-intensity combat scenarios that challenged both technical proficiency and tactical decision-making, while integrating modern threats such as unmanned aircraft systems, cyber, and robotics.
Brig. Gen. Sandra Martin, deputy commander of the 412th Theater Engineer Command and senior trainer for the event, oversaw planning and execution.
“I’m responsible for working with the observer-coach-trainers; getting information and feedback on how the units are doing every day with achieving their training objectives,” Martin said. “We spent a year of planning that led up to CSTX, and during that planning, we worked closely with the 78th Training Division to understand what challenges Soldiers would benefit from the most.”
— Thousands of service members, most of them Army Reserve Soldiers, descended on Fort McCoy for the 78th Training Division Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 78-25-02 from Aug. 2-15, and that meant the Fort McCoy food-service team had a big task in front of them to ensure all those people had food and other supplies for their training.
The installation’s food-service team ensures that need is always met, said Food Service Specialist Jim Gouker with the Fort McCoy Logistics Readiness Center (LRC).
That team includes the LRC Food Program Management Office (FPMO) and the LRC Subsistence Supply Management Office (SSMO); the full food-service contractor DCT Inc.; and food suppliers, such as Sysco Foods of Baraboo, Wis.
This exercise also included related exercises Global Strike 2025 and Global Medic 2025. It was a diverse group of service members training and their needs for items stretched to all areas of the post.
Gouker said the SSMO was busy providing constant support during the entirety of the exercise.
The SSMO is one of the busiest organizations during any large training event, LRC officials said in a previous news article. The office orders, receives, and distributes all food and rations necessary for each exercise as well as for units conducting weekend, extended combat, or annual training.
They also noted that members of the SSMO oversees the installation central fuel facility, so they pull dual duty at both 490 where they unload, store, and issue rations, and they also unload fuel and maintain the Central Fuel Point at building 3010.
“The SSMO staff provides service to exercises seven days a week,” Pisney said.
By the numbers, for food-service support, the team provided a significant number of items throughout the training, Gouker said.
Gouker said for food service the SSMO supported CSTX/Global Medic/Global Strike with Class I in the following quantities: Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs), 80,4242 standard meals; MREs Kosher, 192 meals; MREs Halal, 1,380 meals; Unitized Group Rations (UGRs)-As, 12,650 meals; UGRs H&S, 134,550 meals; UHT milk, 48,330 containers; bagged ice, 202,000 pounds; and additional enhancements such as fresh fruit, salad mix, salad dressings, and bread.
— Dozens of representatives of Fort McCoy Garrison staff as well as personnel with installation tenant organizations met Aug. 5 in building 905 for a special postwide meeting. The Garrison-Tenant Staff Meeting is an important opportunity for all who attend, garrison officials said.
Fort McCoy Garrison Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Chad Holder, who took over as deputy commander in July, led the meeting. Also attending from the garrison leadership team was Command Sgt. Maj. James Riddle, garrison command sergeant major. The meeting is an opportunity for open dialogue and discussion between the garrison staff and tenant organization partners, Holder said during the meeting.
Holder welcomed everyone to the forum. Riddle then followed, explaining some of the latest news and information with U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy. Also speaking throughout the meeting there were people from Fort McCoy Garrison directorates, such as the Directorate of Emergency Services; Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security; Directorate of Public Works; and Directorate of Human Resources.
— From Aug. 2-15, the 78th Training Divison held its Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 78-25-02 at Fort McCoy. The exercise also included related exercises Global Strike 2025 and Global Medic 2025.
With those training events taking place the first half of August, and with other training taking place through the rest of that month, more than 12,000 troops trained on Fort McCoy during August, according Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
In describing CSTX, the 78th Training Division stated it was multi-faceted, multinational, unique, and full of unique training.
“From live-fire ranges to medical simulations, engineering missions to multinational cooperation, the 78th Training Division led the way in preparing units for real-world challenges,” a 78th Facebook post states. “This exercise tested skills, strengthened readiness, and proved once again that we are ready to deploy, fight, and win.”
The CSTX and Global Strike had personnel from units like the 844th Engineer Battalion, 374th Engineer Company, 400th Military Police Battalion, 412th Theater Engineer Command, 209th Regional Support Group, 411th Engineer Brigade, 416th Theater Engineer Command, 200th Military Police Command, Medical Readiness and Training Command, 3rd Theater Medical Command, 363rd Engineer Battalion, and many more.
— The roar of engines from UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters could be heard for nearly two weeks in August 2025 throughout Fort McCoy as the aircraft and their crews supported the 78th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 78-25-02 at the post.
CSTX 78-25-02 took place from Aug. 2-14 at areas all throughout Fort McCoy. There were eight Black Hawks and three Chinooks that operated from Fort McCoy were from the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Fort Knox, Ky.
According to the 78th Training Division in an article at https://www.dvidshub.net/news/546312/army-reserve-trains-tomorrows-battlefield-global-strike-and-global-medic-2025 by Capt. Jonathan Ferrer of the 78th entitled, “Army Reserve trains for tomorrow’s battlefield in Global Strike, Global Medic 2025,” it states more about the training the helicopters and crews supported.
“Led by the 78th Training Division, in coordination with the 412th Theater Engineer Command and the Medical Readiness and Training Command, CSTX sharpened skills across engineering, medical, sustainment, security, and logistics operations,” the article states. “The exercise replicated complex, high-intensity combat scenarios that challenged both technical proficiency and tactical decision-making, while integrating modern threats such as unmanned aircraft systems, cyber, and robotics.”
During the exercise, training officials said the helicopters supported troop movements across North Post and South Post at Fort McCoy and numerous special training events. Chinooks also supported a special exercise at Big Sandy Lake on South Post on Aug. 11 where Soldiers with the 647th Regional Support Group under the 416th Theater Engineer Command completed bridging operations during Global Strike 2025.
— Soldiers with the 279th Engineer Utilities Detachment, an Army Reserve unit out of Weldon Spring, Mo., worked on a troop project replacing broken sidewalk sections on J Street during their annual training with the 78th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 25-02 in August at Fort McCoy.
The 279th Soldiers worked for several days to prepare the area as well as manage the concrete pours to set in the new sidewalk. Through this work, engineer troops get the training they need, and the installation benefits from the work they do to improve Fort McCoy training ranges and quality-of-life programs, post officials said.
This was one of many projects the 279th Soldiers participated in. On a Facebook post for the 279th at https://www.facebook.com/279EUD/posts/pfbid025m3hJBeBz4JQxFJhDxcpv9HvEJAi2rbbxmjxfLeGSCoERBq2yY2uUKMnV5CnAfQAl, it states the Soldiers did well.
“The 279th Engineer Utility Detachment put their skills to work during CSTX 25-02, building a new sidewalk to improve accessibility and infrastructure,” the post states. “Mission complete, one concrete step at a time!”
Fort McCoy Troop Projects Coordinator Larry Morrow with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works said it was a significant amount of work. Soldiers with the 279th team put in new aggregate on the base, and set in forms to pour concrete for the new stretch of sidewalk.
— Fort McCoy personnel once again provided updates about the installation’s natural resources-related efforts Aug. 11 during the August 2025 meeting of the Monroe County (Wis.) Natural Resource and Extension Committee.
As part of Monroe County, Fort McCoy has a part in supporting the committee. The post does so through the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch (NRB) as well as the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office.
During the August meeting, NRB Endangered Species Biologist Jessup Weichelt served as one of the Fort McCoy representatives where he reviewed recent accomplishments completed by NRB and related Fort McCoy personnel.
Among those accomplishments in natural resources management Weichelt mentioned from July 2025 were:

• In fisheries management, continued water quality samples during base flow, runoff, and adaptive management sampling continue to be taken.
• Fort McCoy fisheries personnel conducted 11 creel surveys during July.
• Fisheries personnel removed 303 meters of invasive brush along Stillwell Creek to reduce instream phosphorus.
• Fisheries personnel removed thousands of invasive species aquatic plants from West Sandy Lake.
• Fort McCoy fisheries works coordinated with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to remove mottled sculpin from post and transfer them into a brook trout reserve stream in La Crosse County in July.
• Fisheries workers conducted aquatic plant surveys on all 10 lakes on post. No new invasive species found.
• Fisheries personnel also conducted 26 stream habitat surveys and 24 stream electrofishing surveys. Trout numbers are lower than last year but forage species are above average.
  — Nearly 50 members of the British armed services as well as nearly 30 members of the Canadian armed forces visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area on Aug. 14 for a tour of the area that included stopping at the Fort McCoy History Center, Equipment Park, Veterans Memorial Plaza, and more.
  Members of the 203rd (Welsh) Multi-Role Medical Regiment — a unit of the Royal Army Medical Service within the Army Reserve of the British Army that’s based in Wales — made their way to the Commemorative Area following participation in the 2025 Global Medic exercise on post.
  Also included were members of the Royal Canadian Medical Service (RCMS) who were also visiting the area after serving in Global Medic.
  — More than 30 members of the 223rd Support Maintenance Company (SMC), 363rd Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum Pipeline), visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area on Aug. 14 after finishing regular operations supporting the 78th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise 25-02.
  The 223rd SMC is an Army Reserve unit headquartered at Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex, Texas. Soldiers with the unit made the visit on the end of their time at Fort McCoy after supporting the exercise.
  — The Predictive Index (PI) is a scientifically validated talent optimization tool designed to help organizations understand what drives their people — and how to align those drives with business strategy.
  It measures behavioral tendencies and cognitive ability, offering insights into how individuals work, communicate, and contribute to team dynamics. PI is widely used across industries to enhance hiring, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness, said Workforce Development Specialist Nicholas Kletzien with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works.
  On Aug. 21, Fort McCoy Workforce Development, in partnership with Viterbo University, hosted a Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment Small Team Training on post.
  “This dynamic and optional professional development experience welcomed 14 participants from the Fort McCoy Directorate of Human Resources, each seeking deeper insight into their behavioral tendencies and how those traits influence team cohesion, communication, and workplace performance,” Kletzien said.
  Certified PI professionals Dr. Thomas Thibodeaux and Nicole M. Van Ert facilitated the session, offering a comprehensive review of each participant’s assessment results. The training included a deep dive into individual behavior profiles and explored how these profiles shape interpersonal dynamics and team effectiveness, Kletzien said.
  “This workshop has been hosted on multiple occasions at Fort McCoy by various directorates and continues to be a popular and impactful offering,” he said. “It has been consistently praised for its relevance, depth, and practical application across both military and civilian leadership environments.”
  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,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.”
  Also try downloading the My Army Post 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.”