Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael D. Poss

Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael D. Poss prepares to participate in a cold-water immersion familiarization event Jan. 15, 2021, at Fort McCoy, Wis. Poss was learning about this training event that is part of the Fort McCoy Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC). In the training, a large hole is cut in the ice at the lake by CWOC staff, then a safe and planned regimen is followed to allow each participant to jump into the icy water. Emergency-response personnel are also nearby in case they’re needed. As each student took the plunge into the icy-cold water, making sure they also went under water, their reaction was immediate. CWOC students are also trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and skiing as well as how to use ahkio sleds and other gear. Training also focuses on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment. (Video by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)