Two Fort McCoy youth earned a first- and second-place finish for the 2024 Youth Army Energy Action Month Poster Contest at Fort McCoy during October 2024. It was the first time this contest took place.
Arianna Cantu earned first and Harper Becker second for their efforts to create posters that met the ideals and sentiment of the monthly observance.
The 2024 theme of Army Energy Action Month is “Powering the Mission.” The U.S. Department of Energy’s theme for 2024 Energy Action Month in October is “Empowering the Energy Transition.”
In an article by the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability at https://www.army.mil/standto/archive/2017/10/03, they discuss more about what Energy Action Month is.
“Energy Action Month is an observance held each October to encourage the Army installation and operational energy communities to prioritize energy in everyday decisions,” the article states. “It’s a reminder that secure and reliable access to energy, water, and land resources is vital for the Army to perform its mission and support global operations.”
The poster contest was coordinated with the Fort McCoy Child and Youth Services (CYS) program, which is managed by the Fort McCoy Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Brittany Rodenberg with Fort McCoy CYS worked with Dan Johnson of the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Energy Branch to coordinate the contest.
“The kids did a great job,” Johnson said. “We selected Arianna’s as first place for the research and details she put into each conservation measure, and Harper for close second.”
Both of the children received a special prize for their efforts, Johnson said.
The contest was one way Fort McCoy observed the month’s importance on conserving energy for “Powering the Mission” at the post, Johnson said. Fort McCoy also keeps Energy Action Month ideals in mind throughout the year, however, as the installation is always seeking ways to conserve energy and use energy more efficiently.
Fort McCoy uses the idea to save and conserve energy, for example, with the use of goats to control invasive species on post.
Since 2023, hundreds of goats have been used combat invasive plant species at Fort McCoy, and they are very effective, said Wildlife Biologist Kevin Luepke with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.
For years, Fort McCoy also has been using different ways to not only save energy but also to produce energy through solar. According to the Directorate of Public Works, solar energy systems are working throughout the installation. Solar-power additions at Fort McCoy include pedestrian-crossing and stop signs with flashing LED lights. There’s also SolarWall-brand transpired solar collectors installed on buildings on post.
Efforts like this poster contest should continue into the future, officials said.
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.”
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