Fort McCoy holds annual Vigilant Triad event — Integrated Protection Exercise-24

Fort McCoy garrison and tenant organizations tested major training objectives at the installation March 27 during the 2024 Vigilant Triad Integrated Protection Exercise (IPE)-24.

Vigilant Triad completes the Installation Management Command annual requirement to conduct a full-scale exercise to refine and improve Fort McCoy’s response to a local or regional all-hazards crisis. Such exercises are part of a continuing effort by the Department of Defense to refine and improve emergency response to natural and man-made disasters.

The Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) served as the lead Fort McCoy agency for the exercise. Lots of planning and preparation went into making the exercise a success, said DPTMS Plans, Operations and Security Division Chief David Cochran.

Cochran said the IPE-24 exercise assessed the installation’s emergency response capabilities while also maintaining essential base operations.

“IPE-24 was an installation-wide exercise, requiring the participation of all organizations on the installation,” Cochran said. “The exercise was designed around an active-shooter event scenario to enhance the installation community’s vigilance and ability to respond to, and recover from, an ‘all hazards’ incident.”

Cochran added, “The exercise required months of planning and coordination from not only the garrison staff, but also tenant organizations and local community activities led by Ryan Ahrendt and trusted agents selected from both garrison staff and tenants across the installation. The exercise provided opportunity to exercise with community first responders and Sparta Mayo Hospital.” Ahrendt is the DPTMS Plans and Operations Branch chief in Cochran’s division.

According to Cochran, areas of concentration for the exercise were focused on the actions at the active-shooter scene, and Installation Emergency Operations Center (IEOC) and Emergency Family Assistance Center operations.

He also said the exercise design included five phases — Phase I (Planning and Preparation), Phase II (Communication Exercise and Rehearsals), Phase III (Exercise Scenario), Phase IV (After-action Review), and Phase V (Improvement Plan).

“The exercise was very successful in meeting all objectives while capturing observations that will provide focus in the development of the Improvement Plan,” Cochran said. “The Improvement Plan will be the tool to steer the Fort McCoy Garrison staff in executing actions to adjust existing plans and creating processes intended to increase efficiency in functionality in all areas identified.”

During the exercise, which took most of the duty day March 27, it included activating the IEOC, carrying out shelter-in-place procedures established prior to the training, and much more. And for months prior to the exercise, IEOC team members worked extensively to hold monthly training opportunities for action officers in case of an IEOC activation.

After the exercise, Fort McCoy Garrison leadership stated their appreciation for the leadership by DPTMS personnel conducting the exercise and to all of the garrison personnel who participated to help make it successful. Additionally, they expressed thanks to all the community first responders and Sparta Mayo Hospital for also supporting the event.

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 the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, 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.”