This Month in Fort McCoy History — May 2026

Fort McCoy, Wis., was established in 1909. Here is a look back at some installation history from May 2026 and back.

80 Years Ago — May 1946

FROM THE MAY 3, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Post unit heads inspect activities within McCoy (By Newspaper Staff) — Inspection tours of the various post activities will be made during the next ten days, Reg. Gen. John R. Hester, commanding general announced.

Inspection tours is to acquaint the heads of the units with the activities on the post.

The inspection teams are made up of staff members and move from unit to unit.

The inspection teams are made up of staff members and move from unit to unit, both by battalion headquarters and battalion commanders.

Each of the inspection tours is to be informative and will provide in general picture of the various procedures of the activities in process.

These tours are being planned so as not to require more than two hours.

The general objectives of the post inspection Tuesday this week included the entire 41st Station hospital.

The inspection team also included the Quartermaster section. Among these departments, Signal Corps and Ordnance activities, a display was made of the Chicago type X-ray car. The Signal Hospital unit rounds out the inspection program.

FROM THE MAY 3, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: 102 servicemen enrolled in armed forces courses (By Newspaper Staff) — One hundred and two servicemen are currently enrolled in Institute Courses sponsored by the Correspondence Courses Education Department.

“Courses are thought to offer information and education of benefit to both the Army of these students in the highest correspondence school in the world are studying subjects that will help them in civilian life.

Others are beginning their high school education and gaining the necessary credit standing which they return to college. In the meantime, many of the basic college courses can be completed through USAFI and all accreditation procedures have been worked out.

The better the alumni courses, high school diploma courses, and just plain “brush up” courses have also been popular.

In some cases, servicemen have taken USAFI courses for as many as 24 months. The effective cost of this excellent type of course has been virtually cut in half by recent revisions. At McCoy, group study of the Army Institute courses is encouraged and many have profited from the results. Lt. Kelly emphasized that USAFI has nothing to do with the GI Bill of Rights.

“These courses undergo continuous review and are open only to military personnel on active duty or war veterans, and their future benefits under the GI Bill.”

FROM THE MAY 3, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Once prison camp MD, Capt. Gordon, ends Army duty (By Newspaper Staff) — Capt. Jack R. Gordon, Moline, Ia., has practiced medicine in a Japanese prison camp as a prisoner, was relieved from active duty here Wednesday after orders directed him to Japan at the end of the Army.

Application for the custody and the Department of Internal Medicine in the University hospital at Iowa City, over to the Army. Going overseas two months after his entry into the Army in July 1943, he was stationed at the Philippines.

As a prisoner of the Japanese, he practiced medicine with primitive surgical equipment. Prison camp medicine, Capt. Gordon related, was one constant round of discouragement, humiliation, danger and lack of everything needed.

Interned As Tarakan, Capt. Gordon was first interred in the Japanese prison camp of Davao at Tarakan, P.I. Where 29,000 prisoners of 175 Americans, Captains and officers were interned.

Gordon stopped by visiting from 130 pounds to 89 pounds. From prisoners of Corregidor, P.I., the prisoners were forced to work at air strips and on farms.

“The Japanese took a lot of the … culture,” Capt. Gordon said, “and they always showed no sincerity whatsoever. Had to carry everything on our backs.”

In World War II, they boarded a crowded ship from the prison camp to Japan where they were held.

“The crew was sunk on the high seas. Many of the prisoners were drowned, and many others starved on the trip. We were kept in the holds of the ship with little water and almost nothing to eat.”

As a prisoner of the Japanese, Gordon said, they were sent to Fukuoka. “The food was meager and the living conditions were terrible. We were kept in barracks, and the medical attention was almost nonexistent.

“I don’t know what day it was when we were liberated. The war ended. The day we were liberated was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Arrived in San Francisco and was discharged at Camp McCoy. He was then sent home to Iowa City.

FROM THE MAY 3, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Capt. Nelson, DSC winner, relieved from active duty; awarded medal for heroism at Roer Crossing (By Newspaper Staff) — Winner of the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action, Capt. Jack C. Nelson, Lester, Wisconsin, East Bernard Ave., Milwaukee, was released from active duty this week.

Wounded in the European Theater of Operations on Oct. 8, 1944, he was cited for bravery 32 times, Nelson, who was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry and rose through the ranks from Europe when he spent 14 months.

Acted under heavy fire He was awarded the DSC for action while under heavy machine-gun fire with a platoon of infantrymen which he commanded in France. The citation reads, “On Feb. 7, 1945, in the vicinity of the Roer River, Germany, Capt. Nelson led his platoon through intense enemy fire to attack enemy positions. With one rifle platoon he fought his way through a heavily fortified enemy strongpoint.

“He personally directed the attack and was wounded by shrapnel from enemy artillery fire. De- spite his wounds, he continued to lead his men until the enemy position was overrun. After securing the position, he reorganized his platoon and continued the attack against another enemy strongpoint, destroying enemy positions and killing or capturing a number of enemy soldiers.”

The citation read in part: “On successive days, Capt. Nelson led his platoon in the assault of strongly fortified enemy positions. His inspiring leadership and heroic actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.”

He is entitled to wear the Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, and the European African Middle Eastern Theater ribbon with three bronze service stars.

In civilian life prior to entering the service, Capt. Nelson was employed by Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, Lester, Wisconsin.

FROM THE MAY 10, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Escaped prisoner remains at large; search continues (By Newspaper Staff) — Pvt. Robert F. Mays, whose home is listed as 207 Pearl St., La Crosse, escaped from the Camp McCoy guard stockade sometime between 5:30 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday, prison ward, Capt. Carl H. Taber, post marshal, reported.

The escaped prisoner was still at large at press time as authorities continued to search for him. Persons now residing at the above address said that Friday morning that they had never heard of Mays.

Mays was described as service clothing, rifle, khaki shirt and trousers and wearing a steel helmet. His height was given as 5 feet 6 inches, his weight 140 pounds, hair dark brown, eyes blue. When last seen Mays was dressed in khaki fatigue clothes and shoes without laces, authorities said.

Any information as to his whereabouts should be telephoned to police authorities or the post provost marshal’s office.

FROM THE MAY 17, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Officer of 2nd Engineer Unit ends service (By Newspaper Staff) — Capt. Vernon E. Juberville, Detroit, Mich., formerly a member of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, was released from active duty here Wednesday.

As a member of the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade, Juberville trained here and at Camp Livingston, La., until V-J Day. His unit was called into the Pacific theater but was not sent overseas.

He was stationed at the camp of the 2nd Service Command, from Camp Beale, Calif., to New York, remaining in service for two years, one month and one day. His total active duty was three years, three months and 17 days.

Commanding officer was Stationed at Camp Beale, Calif., from July 1943 until September 1944, then transferred to New York and remained there until his release. Capt. Juberville was the commanding officer for the past year, Detachment C, including the post guard, fire department and other units.

He was born May 1913, in Battle Creek, Mich., and is a graduate of Western Michigan College, where he received his degree in civil engineering. In civilian life Capt. Juberville was a member of a Detroit firm of civil engineers.

Capt. Juberville is married and has two children. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Legion. Capt. Juberville has been awarded the American Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal and the Victory Medal.

FROM THE MAY 24, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Veteran of 250 combat flights ends career (By Newspaper Staff) — Veteran of 250 combat missions and winner of the Silver Star medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters, Air Medal with 12 clusters, Asiatic-Pacific ribbon with nine battle stars and the Presidential Citation with one cluster, Maj. Francis J. Vetrov, Cedar River, Mich., was relieved from active duty here Friday.

Maj. Vetrov took on 250 combat missions during 650 flying hours in a B-24 bomber during 25 equatorial and 151 missions as flight leader, being credited with destroying two Japanese planes and other probable, three ground destroys with guns, one Japanese plane shot down.

His tour of duty overseas lasted from March 1944 until the East Indies, arriving in the states on Jan. 29, 1945. Maj. Vetrov joined the 494th Bomber Group of the 5th Air Force command.

This was the first long range flight group to go overseas, and they were stationed at various points in the South Pacific area. He was made squadron commander of his group on Nov. 4, 1944.

Flying combat missions he participated in numerous missions over Japan, Indo-China and Formosa. Maj. Vetrov graduated from Northern Michigan College of Education and was a member of the faculty of the engineering department there. He was stationed at Camp Mc- Coy before his overseas tour of duty. Maj. Vetrov is married and has one son.

FROM THE MAY 31, 1946, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Trio flies together in Pacific; Air Corps threesome out (By Newspaper Staff) — Lts. Robert J. Lowers, Grosse Pointe, Mich., and Jack L. Stevens, Evanston, Ill., and Flying Officer Harry N. Reece, were relieved from active duty at the officers’ separation center here Saturday.

The pilots first met when they trained at Tallahassee, Fla., with the 3rd Air Force. Last summer they went overseas. Reece served overseas with the 306th Fighter group where he joined Lts. Lowers and Stevens.

In the Pacific they flew 1,500-mile missions regularly over Tokyo and surrounding cities. Their missions also took them to China and the Dutch East Indies.

The three officers were fighter pilots in P-51s and Lt. Stevens was a flight leader. Reece was one of the leaders of his group. Lt. Lowers and Stevens were also flight leaders. The three officers were the Army Command pilots from the 5th Army Air Force who brought two B-29’s from the North Field to Guam where they established a new base.

60 Years Ago — May 1966

FROM THE MAY 20, 1966, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Know your service clubs (By Newspaper Staff) — Service Club l, Building 2000, officially opened on April 9 for the 1966 season under the direction of Florence D. Garvey, Post Recreation Supervisor, and Robert W. Tooley, Recreation Leader, with the assistance of Spc. 5 William J. McLean and Spc. 5 Carl J. Miner, Enlisted Aides.

On April 24, Karen. L. Sund, Recreation Leader, was added to the staff, followed by John L. Anderson. on May 15. Miss Marjorie McConigle will enter on duty June 13. General supervision is performed by Lt. Joseph H. Hollman, Post Special Services Officer.

Although attendance at the Service Club was slow in the beginning, it has steadily increased. The total attendance figure for the week of 8 through 14 May was 1,168.

FROM THE MAY 20, 1966, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Sparta Kindergarten students visit Camp McCoy (By Newspaper Staff) — Forty-five kindergarten students from the Lakeview School in Sparta toured Camp McCoy last week to get a first-hand look at the Army at work.

Led by their teacher, JoAnne Graham, and the Post Project Officer, Maj. Charles Davis, the children first visited the Ordnance Shop where they were treated to a demonstration of the walkie-talkie and an inspection of vehicles in the shop.

Outside, they watched as a tank maneuvered in the parking lot and a tank retriever pulled an 8-inch howitzer past them.

Later, they were all treated to a Jeep ride through the area. Following the tour of the Ordnance Shop, the children boarded busses and visited the Camp McCoy Service Club where they were treated to milk and cookies.

FROM THE MAY 27, 1966, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: XIV Corps commanding general visits Camp McCoy May 20 (By Newspaper Staff) — Maj. Gen. Walter Jensen, commanding general of the XIV U. S. Army Corps, Reserve, with units mainly from the state of Wisconsin, visited Camp McCoy on May 20 for a tour of all XIV Corps units taking summer training here.

Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Col. Paul Craig, Post Commander, and Maj. Ray Hermanson, XIV Corps Liaison Officer. During his tour, the general visited the 878th Ordnance Company, SRF, from Milwaukee, which was readying tactical vehicles; the 826th Ordnance Company, SRF, from Madison, which was maintaining and stocking the camp’s ammunition dump; the 410th Signal Company, from Steven’s Point, Wis., which was erecting new telephone lines; and the 468th Engineer Battalion, from Bismark, N. D., which was constructing various buildings and parking lots on post.

Before his departure, general had lunch in the Officer's Club with members the Camp McCoy Staff and Corps Liaison Detachment.

40 Years Ago — May 1986

FROM THE MAY 1, 1986, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Buehler competes for DA award; wins post, FORSCOM honors (By Lou Ann Mittelstaedt, Newspaper Staff) — For the second consecutive year, Gretchen M. Buehler has been selected as the Fort McCoy Handicapped Employee of the Year.

This year, however, there was a new twist to the honor. Buehler was also named as the United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) nominee for the Department of the Army Handicapped Employee of the Year for 1986.

Buehler, an illustrator at the Directorate of Plans, Training and Security’s Training and Audiovisual Support Center (TASC), is deaf and has right hand and foot abnormalities.

When Buehler received letters from Garrison Commander Col. Bill Sorenson and FORSCOM Commander Gen. Robert Sennewald congratulating her on her selection as the FORSCOM nominee, at first she thought they were letters from a unit who appreciated some work she had done for them.

“When I sat down to open and read the letters, I was surprised--very much!” Buehler said. “I hadn’t expected to get another award. I've always thought once was enough.”

In the letter, Sennewald said Buehler’s determination and ambition, despite her disability, are noteworthy and set an example for others to follow. Sorenson said Buehler’s selection as the FORSCOM nominee was a special honor not only for her, but for the entire Fort McCoy community.

FROM THE MAY 15, 1986, EDITON OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: Kosloske receives Purple Heart (By Cherie Keel) — It was January of 1969. The monsoon season had just ended in South Vietnam.

The unit bunked down for a few hours of shut-eye around their Armored Personnel Carriers in the middle of a rice paddy. The time was around 11:30 at night.

The mortars started raining in just about midnight. Spc. 4 Larry D. Kosloske was blown off his air mattress and caught shrapnel in the back of the head, neck and his back. His friend lying next to him had his leg blown off.

At least one APC was destroyed and another disabled. Kosloske and a couple of soldiers carried his friend to the waiting MEDEVAC helicopter then went back to fight.

The next morning, when the fighting had stopped the MEDEVAC crew returned to pick up the other wounded, Kosloske included.

“Our lieutenant had shrapnel in his backside and could barely walk. But because I was a medic, they were more interested in helping me,” Kosloske stated in his low, even voice. “There wasn’t much that could be done for me as the shrapnel was in small bits. So, they stuffed cotton in my ears and told me to stay out of the water for a few weeks. I was released the next day.”

Seventeen years later on May 1, 1986, Staff Sgt. Kosloske, MP investigator, Fort McCoy Provost Marshal Office, received his Purple Heart.

“The way they used to issue Purple Hearts was when you were admitted to the hospital, they took your medical records and filled out a certain form, I forget what it was. And right before you were discharged from the hospital, they issued it to you and your orders caught up with you later," he said, his light brown eyes grave.

“Well, I was in there and out of there so quick, I guess they didn't have time to issue it to me. It didn’t matter at the time.”

Kosloske, a rugged looking man with a full mustache and sandy, brown hair was honorably discharged from the Army around November of 1969. He went back home to a town outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul to help his father with his business.

“Nobody really talked about the war when I got home. It was more or less, ‘Hi, Glad you’re home, when are you starting work?’ That was fine with me as I would of just as soon of forgotten about it too,” Kosloske said, his tone serious.

After a few years of having fun, Kosloske got married and had to face the decision of what to do with his life.

“I could of stayed there and took over my father's business or go into something else, so I joined the Army this time, in 1974. A few years ago, MILPO was cleaning out my old 201 file and sent me a bunch of stuff they didn’t need. They told me I could throw it out or keep it. So, I put it in a box and more or less forgot about it.

“After moving here; he was cleaning out some things and decided to sort through the box. There he found his old medical record with a big stamp right in the middle stating ‘No Purple Heart Issued.’”

30 Years Ago — May 1996

FROM THE MAY 10, 1996, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER AT FORT MCCOY: Seabees train for 1st time at new home (By Rob Schuette) — Members of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Twenty-Five found the military training opportunities at their first-ever annual training held at Fort McCoy from April 20 to May 3 to their liking.

Commander (0-5) Norm Schleif, NMCB-25 commanding officer, said the Seabees, the Naval counterparts of Army engineers, dedicated the first AT of a three-year military training cycle to enhance mobilization skills.

“The move of our headquarters here last August couldn’t have come at a more opportune time,” he said. “At our former site (Glenview Naval Air Station, Illinois), we didn’t have much room for training opportunities. Here, we have lots of room for training.”

NMCB-25 relocated to McCoy as the result of a Base Realignment and Closure decision. The 351 members of the battalion who attended training received a lot of class-type work and were given practical exercises in the field to use those skills, he said. Some of the skills the Seabees were taught or received refresher training in were land navigation, basic communication skills, patrols, convoy procedures and running combat operations centers.

They also had the opportunity to fire crew-served weapons, mortars, .50-caliber and M-60 machine guns, and grenade launchers.

FROM THE MAY 24, 1996, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER: 100th Battalion vet revisits part of past (By Rob Schuette) — It's better to be a year late, than never come back at all, said a veteran from the 100th Infantry Battalion during a surprise visit to Fort McCoy May 10.

Ed Tanigawa, his wife, Stella, and daughter, Pat, were visiting a family friend, Lois Harvey of Winona, Minn. Pat decided to surprise her father by driving him to Fort McCoy. He wasn't able to make it to the 53rd anniversary reunion the 100th held June 28, 1995, at Fort McCoy during the dedication of the post's World War II Commemorative Area. The National Guard unit, which was comprised of native-borne Hawaiians of Japanese ancestry, was the Army's most-decorated World War II unit.

Fort McCoy has changed quite a bit since he trained here with the 100th in the 1940s, Tanigawa said. In 1968, he drove through the installation, however, he wasn't able to go through any of the buildings at that time. This time, he and his family received a tour of the Commemorative Area, located in the post's 800 block, from Linda Foumier, post Community Relations specialist.

The Commemorative Area preserves five buildings, including administrative, dining and barracks, as they looked in the early 1940s when the cantonment area was built, Foumier said. Furniture, clothing and posters depict what living conditions were like in those days.

“I remember the old pot-belly stoves,” Ed said as he toured a dining area. “We used to think we were living in luxury if we could stand next to one when it was cold. I also remembered that we tried to be the first in line for showers because the first people had hot showers, and there wasn't any hot water left for the later showers.”

Foumier said members of the 100th probably were quartered in the 2700 block. The 100th was the first unit to be trained at Camp McCoy in World War II before being sent overseas to fight in the European theater. The Army Community Service staff presented Tanigawa and his family with assorted information and mementoesabout Fort McCoy.

In recognition of his visit, Fournier presented Tanigawa with a replica of the “Ruptured Duck” pin veterans received for World War II service.

“I’m going to put this in my medal case,” he said. “I still have my registration notice and discharge papers.”

20 Years Ago — May 2006

FROM THE MAY 26, 2006, EDITION OF THE TRIAD NEWSPAPER:** Ribbon cut for Simulation Facility (By Rob Schuette) — A new Simulation Facility at Fort McCoy will help Soldiers improve or maintain proficiency on a variety of weapons.

Guests and dignitaries marked the opening of the 21,858-square-foot facility in the installation’s 200 block with a May 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony. The nearly $4 million facility offers three simulated training scenarios in a consolidated facility. Previously, the equipment was located in three separate World War II-era wood buildings.

Installation Commander Col. Derek J. Sentinella said the new facility wouldn’t have happened without the efforts of everyone from Team McCoy.

“It helps us consolidate the (simulation) training in one building and provide quality training for personnel coming here,” Sentinella said. “It brings quality to Fort McCoy that we did not have.”

The facility will provide a concerted means for Soldiers to hone the skills needed for weaponry and to call for fire before they go to the ranges for training, he said.

Bob Zinsmeister, the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security Training Support manager and project point of contact, said the Simulation Facility is part of a plan to greatly expand simulated firing training opportunities for military personnel training at Fort McCoy.

The new Simulation Facility will have a Battalion, Brigade Simulation (BBS)/Brigade Command Battle Staff Training (BCBST). The BBS/BCBST capability will allow Soldiers to train on computer-based military scenarios ranging from platoon level to division and corps level, he said.

GUARDFIST II A, which is the Guard Armory Device Full Crew Interactive Simulation Trainer, will offer realistic, interactive battlefield scenarios to provide procedural and sustainment indirect fire mission training to field artillery forward observers.

The Simulation Facility also will include two 10-lane Engagement Skill Trainer (EST) sets. One set recently was installed, and the second is scheduled to be installed soon, he said. The ESTs will allow military personnel to train on simulated weapons, including the M-9 pistol, the M-4 carbine, the M-1200 shotgun, the M-16A2 rifle, the M-203 grenade launcher, the M-249 squad automatic weapon, M-240B machine gun, AT-4 antiarmor weapon, the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher and the M-60 machine gun.

10 Years Ago — May 2016

FROM THE MAY 13, 2016, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: Reserve RSG’s 800-plus Soldiers complete unitwide training (By Scott T. Sturkol) — As part of its only annual unitwide training event, more than 800 Soldiers associated with the Army Reserve’s 644th Regional Support Group (RSG) completed battle-drill training (BDT) at Fort McCoy in late April.

The BDT, also called a battle assembly or a multiunit training assembly, included Soldiers with the group’s 457th Transportation Battalion and eight smaller individual units, said Master Sgt. David Fannon, operations noncommissioned officer (NCO) with the 644th RSG Headquarters and Headquarters Company of Minneapolis.

“The assembly, essentially, was four days for all of our Soldiers to complete their annual weapons qualifications,” Fannon said. “The spring is the only time of year where we bring in the entire (group) to one place to complete training.”

Soldiers completed qualifying on numerous weapon systems including: M9 pistol; M4/M16 rifl es; M240, M249, and M2 .50-caliber machine guns; and M67 hand grenade.

The group used building 2643 as their base of operations for their training and completed weapons training at Ranges 1, 2, 8, 26, 30, 31, 34, and 35 on North Post.

“We like coming to Fort McCoy because you have all the facilities we need to do this training,” Fannon said. “Most of us in the 644th and associated units are within a three-hour drive to Fort McCoy, so it also is fairly close for us.

“Additionally, we know that once we get our (training package) approved there, we know we are pretty well guaranteed the training areas are available to us for the time we need them,” annon said. “Th at kind of assurance is good when you are doing an assembly of this size.” Sgt. 1st Class Jared Bulinski with the 322nd Support Maintenance Company, a unit associated with the 644th in Arden Hills, Minn., served as the range NCO in charge at Range 26 for Soldiers completing M240 and M249 qualifications. He said getting qualifications completed on the “automatic weapons” is crucial, especially for Soldiers in transportation-based units.

“These are important weapons systems because they are the squad level primary means of providing suppressive fire for any (enemy) engagement in a war zone,” Bulinski said.

Bulinski said Range 26 served as a good automatic-weapons training location. “I like it because it has the berms and good targeting systems,” Bulinski said. “Some places have the fl at range areas that don’t break up the landscape. Here (at Range 26) the berms provide that additional depth perception that adds to a more-realistic fi eld environment.”

Fannon said he’s been coming to Fort McCoy with the 644th RSG since 2005 and has noticed many changes to the installation over those years.

“With all of the improvements to the ranges … and the troop facilities always improving … it’s been great to be able to come to (Fort McCoy) and get this training done,” he said.

The 644th RSG falls under the Reserve’s 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.

5 Years Ago — May 2021

FROM THE MAY 28, 2021, EDITION OF THE REAL MCCOY NEWSPAPER: PX honored for pandemic response (Courtesy story) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has remained resilient to serve troops in training, who come to Fort McCoy from all branches of service and around the world.

Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss, Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Mantha, and Deputy Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Alex Carter recently honored Fort McCoy Post Exchange General Manager Donald Basil and his team with a plaque for providing safe, sanitized, secure shopping during the pandemic.

“The Exchange at Fort McCoy does an amazing job every day supporting our workforce,” Poss said. “Over the past year, during the pandemic, their efforts have been especially notable. Because of specific pandemic precautions, we’ve been able to continue training here at Fort McCoy in a safe and effective manner.”

Many units have needed to be quarantined for 14 days when they arrive at Fort McCoy, which is a Total Force Training Center. After the normal close of business, the Fort McCoy PX ensures that COVID protocols are in place, then reopens to serve quarantined troops.

The store also provides items that are needed in the field, and it has two forward operating bases to serve troops in training areas of the 60,000-acre complex. In addition to pandemic measures, such as offering curbside pickup and increasing delivery options, the Fort McCoy PX brings in food trucks to help feed troops and extends its hours at command request.

“The employees at our Exchange are dedicated to taking care of Soldiers, civilians, retirees and families,” Mantha said. “They’re working hard to ensure that everyone who comes to Fort McCoy is provided high quality service in a safe and healthy environment.”

Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.”

The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”

And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”

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.”