FORT McCOY, Wis. -- About 25 Soldiers from throughout the country attended a two-week Ammunition Specialist Phase II training course at Fort McCoy in early November. Instructors from the 13th, 100th Battalion (Ordnance) conducted the training, which was offered for the first time at the installation.
The two-week course is a continuation of the Phase I course, which also lasts two weeks, said Sgt. 1st Class Marc Canright, acting course manager. Phase II, formerly taught at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., was transferred to McCoy because of that organization's increased mission requirements.
The 13th, 100th is the Army Reserve counterpart of the Regional Training Site (RTS)-Maintenance, which is staffed by Active Guard/Reserve instructors. Canright said RTS-Maintenance provides training areas and support for the course.
"Instructors for the course come to McCoy from throughout the 13th, 100th's region, including as far away as Montana," Canright said.
Phase I of the course teaches basic ammunition specialist knowledge, including demolition techniques. Students in the Phase I course also learn the basics about inventory and stock control, forklift movements, and clean up and salvage procedures.
Canright said, "Phase II of the training covers more advanced skills, including using sling-loading techniques to unload ammunition from helicopters, and the palletized loading system."
"The training teaches them how to draw ammunition, use pallets and cargo nets to secure it, how to rig the netting and hookup and how to use hand signals to drop off the ammunition," he said. "Both courses offer classroom and hands-on training."
Sgt. 1st Class Mary Tysdal, 94th Division S3 training and operations, said the ammunition specialist military occupational specialty is in high demand for U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers and is needed during deployment. About 95 percent of the Soldiers going through the course have either been mobilized or will be mobilized during this fiscal year, Tysdal added.
The course will be offered several times throughout the year to Army Reserve and Army National Guard personnel, said Sgt. 1st Class Loren Covill, senior course instructor who provides a continuing presence at Fort McCoy. The class load for the next year is projected to be about 350 personnel, he said.
In addition to RTS-Maintenance, the Ammunition Supply Point and the Equipment Concentration Site-67 also supported the Phase II training, he said, by offering material or training sites, respectively.
"Another good thing about offering both courses at Fort McCoy is Soldiers can take them back-to-back, which cuts down on their transportation costs and allows them to complete the training all at once and take it back to their units," Covill said.
For more information about 13th, 100th courses, call 608-388-5479/5675.
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