Partnership creates US Army Reserve’s ‘new normal'

News: Partnership creates US Army Reserve’s ‘new normal'

78th Training Division

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Story by Capt. Sean Casey, Spc. Michael McDevitt and Spc. Phillip Scaringi

Courtesy Photo

Members of the 78th Joint Readiness Training Division train, observe, and evaluate members of the 268th Cargo Transportation Company as they conduct M249 qualification at Fort McCoy, Wis. The 2012 Combat Support Training Exercise presents a realistic and challenging scenario-based training for soldiers.

FORT MCCOY, Wis. - Fort McCoy, a U.S. Army training center about 100 miles north west of Madison, Wis., supports training and mobilization of Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel from all branches of service. Fort McCoy has become a premiere training location for units by providing both individual and unit level training.

The installation's state-of-the-art training ranges and facilities simulate varying environments which units will encounter while deployed throughout the world, resulting in service members developing and sustaining skills necessary for mission success.

Fort McCoy’s garrison commander, Col. Steven W. Nott, noted that Fort McCoy has been involved with the mobilization of soldiers in every major conflict since its establishment in 1909. As combat operations in Iraq have ceased and as International Security Assistance Forces transition security operations to Afghan National Security forces in Afghanistan, COL Nott envisions a busy future for Fort McCoy. Resources currently serving service members overseas can be diverted to Fort McCoy, improving resources necessary to sustain and improve readiness of units who travel to Fort McCoy to attend training.

The 78th Training Division (Operations) serves the U.S. Army Reserves as one of the Army Reserve’s Combat Training Centers and uses the facilities at Fort McCoy for mission execution, of Warrior Exercises and the Combat Support Training Exercises. The 78th TD (OPS) facilitates these operations to provide U.S.AR units dynamic and challenging training scenarios as well as evaluations to assist units preparing for future deployment overseas.

Looking towards the future, a cohesive partnership between the 78th TD (OPS), other subordinates of the 84th Training Command (Unit Readiness), and Fort McCoy is paramount to sustaining the readiness of the force.

Under guidance from U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Raymond T. Odierno, focusing on maintaining combat readiness will become the ‘new normal’ throughout the Army Reserve starting in 2013, as the force transitions from wartime to peacetime operations. Army Reserve units will continue to drill on a monthly basis and based on their units ARFORGEN cycle conduct lengthier annual training exercises to harness the wealth of knowledge and experience from past deployments to better prepare them for the future. Fort McCoy and the 78th TD (OPS) has already begun to implement this initiative - which is evident in the quality of training provided during this year’s CSTX.

“Our relationship with Fort McCoy is dynamic…” says Brig. Gen. Bryan Wampler - Commanding General, 78th TD (OPS), “Fort McCoy has been a hub for pre mobilization for years, and they will continue to be a critical hub for the Army Reserve.”

Training in the Army Reserve must always remain at a high standard, regardless of whether or not they are conducting wartime or peacetime operations. Both commanders intend for the valued partnership between Fort McCoy and the 78th TD (OPS) to continue and prosper while moving ahead into future operations.