Work underway to install infrastructure for future garrison operations support area at Fort McCoy

After years of troop projects by multiple Army engineer units from the Army Reserve and Army National Guard to shape an area for a garrison operations support area at Fort McCoy, contractors are now beginning infrastructure work in the same area, Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW) officials said.

The project is located in an area of land near the old Gate 20 and Logistical Support Area Liberty and the cantonment area fence. Work began to landscape this area in June 2021 with Soldiers from the Army Reserve’s 492nd Engineer Company, based in Mankato, Minn.

Then in July 2021, about a dozen Soldiers with the 4th Platoon of Wisconsin National Guard’s 950th Engineer Company (Route Clearance) continued working in the area with bulldozers and other construction equipment.

Fort McCoy Troop Projects Coordinator Larry Morrow said in a 2021 news article that the site work to start was mainly moving out organic material, such as tree stumps and vegetation, and then developing it further from there.

“Larry set us up on this project, and we are continuing to move the organic material from the site,” said 2nd Lt. Nick Bures, 4th Platoon leader, at the time.

Now just under three years later, after many more units and contractors have continuously worked at the site, DPW General Engineer said more permanent work is now going on at the project now named the “Prepare Garrison Operations Support Area Site and Install Utilities Project.”

“The Prepare Garrison Operations Support Area Site and Install Utilities Project will complete the initial utility and parking lot work for the eventual consolidated Garrison Operations Support Center,” Ferguson said.

“Contractors are installing culverts, storm sewer, water, and sanitary mains with stub outs for the future buildings as well as a parking lot and curb,” Ferguson said. “Project cost is (approximately) $2 million and is expected to be complete by end of 2024.”

In 2021, DPW officials said the site plan overall 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. The plan from DPW was looking to combine all of its service contractors in one location near commercial gate access.

Work like this project also helps supports the economic impact to local economies as well, Fort McCoy Garrison officials said. Since fiscal year (FY) 2019, tens of millions of dollars in construction funds have been counted by the Fort McCoy Plans, Analysis, and Integration Office as a key factor and contributor to the installation’s annual economic impact each fiscal year.

In fact, in those five years combined, more than $217 million has been calculated in new construction of buildings and ranges alone, reports show. Over that same time, more than $1.3 billion has also been applied to operating costs that included utilities, physical plant maintenance, repair and improvements, other new construction projects (like this project), purchases of supplies and services, and salaries for civilian contract personnel working at Fort McCoy.

Taking a closer look, following are the year-by-year breakdowns of economic impact numbers for new construction and operating costs at Fort McCoy.

— FY 2019 — $27.6 million in new construction of buildings and ranges; operating costs of $120.56 million.

— FY 2020: $50.3 million in new construction of buildings and ranges; operating costs of $194.4 million.

— FY 2021: $39.4 million in new construction of buildings and ranges; operating costs of $249.88 million.

— FY 2022: $42.5 million in new construction of buildings and ranges; operating costs of $391.46 million.

— FY 2023: $58 million in new construction of buildings and ranges; operating costs of $346 million.

And as FY 2024 continues and construction projects continue around the installation, the economic impact to local communities from those projects will also continue, officials said. And the installation will continue to modernize to meet the Army’s future needs, capabilities, and requirements.

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,” 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.”