Thousands train at Fort McCoy during April 2026; training operations begin to increase on installation with spring

April 2026 proved to be another exceptionally busy training month at Fort McCoy, as thousands of service members and trainees took part in a wide range of training and institutional instruction across the installation.

Training activities throughout the month highlighted the installation’s role as one of the Army’s premier Total Force training centers. Units from the Army Reserve, National Guard, and active-duty components conducted annual training, battle assemblies, and field exercises utilizing Fort McCoy’s extensive ranges, maneuver areas, and support facilities.

According to officials with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, April’s tempo reflected continued high demand for the installation’s training capabilities. This included use of barracks, dining facilities, classrooms, and maintenance areas that enable large-scale, multi-unit training events.

Institutional and specialty training also remained a key focus during the month. Courses and hands-on instruction were conducted at the installation’s Regional Training Sites, including Regional Training Site-Medical and Regional Training Site-Maintenance, which provide critical technical and medical readiness training for Soldiers across the force. Additional training took place at the Wisconsin Challenge Academy.

This steady stream of training activity contributes not only to military readiness but also to the installation’s significant economic impact on surrounding communities. For example, Fort McCoy’s total economic impact for fiscal year 2024 reached an estimated $1.6 billion, an increase from $1.38 billion in fiscal year 2023, according to data compiled by the Fort McCoy Plans, Analysis and Integration Office. Workforce payroll, operating costs, and other expenditures totaled more than $398 million in fiscal year 2024.

Fort McCoy’s training tempo has steadily increased in recent years. The installation supported 109,962 troops during fiscal year 2025, a notable rise from 73,991 troops in fiscal year 2024 and 86,090 in fiscal year 2023.

The post, which encompasses approximately 60,000 acres, routinely hosts tens of thousands of personnel annually for a variety of training missions.

Key tenant and training units supporting operations at Fort McCoy include the 181st Multi-Functional Training Brigade, 86th Training Division, and 88th Readiness Division, all of which help facilitate and oversee training for visiting units.

Officials said the diverse mix of training in April — from field training to classroom instruction — demonstrates the installation’s flexibility and importance to the Army’s overall readiness mission.

No matter the type of training conducted, leaders emphasize that every event contributes to both military preparedness and the continued economic strength of the region, reinforcing Fort McCoy’s role as a critical asset to the Army and the state of Wisconsin.

Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.”

The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”

And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”

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,” 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.”