Thousands of Soldiers participated in the 86th Training Division’s Combat Support Training Exercise (CSTX) 86-24-02 as well as exercise Global Medic 2024. One of the top priorities of exercise planners was to ensure Soldiers had the food supplies they needed for their meals and more.

That’s where Fort McCoy’s food service team comes in. The installation’s food service team ensures that needs are always met, says Andy Pisney, Fort McCoy’s food program manager and a member of Fort McCoy’s Logistics Readiness Center (LRC).

This team includes the LRC Food Program Management Office (FPMO) and the LRC Subsistence Supply Management Office (SSMO; the full-service food supplier DCT Inc.; and food suppliers such as Sysco Foods of Baraboo, Wisconsin.

The 86th Division’s CSTX and Global Medic took place Aug. 3-17 with over 6,000 Soldiers participating, said Maj. Jon Dahl, 86th Training Division spokesman. With so many Soldiers, the SSMO is busy providing constant support, according to Pisney.

“The SSMO is one of the busiest organizations during any major exercise event,” Pisney said in a previous news article. “The office orders, receives and distributes all food and rations required for each exercise as well as for units conducting weekend, long-term combat or annual exercises.”

He also pointed out that SSMO members are overseeing the installation of the central fuel station and are therefore performing a dual role both at station 490, where they unload, store and distribute rations, and at building 3010, unloading fuel and maintaining the central fuel station.

“SSMO personnel support the exercises seven days a week,” Pisney said.

In terms of numbers, the team provided a significant amount of food support throughout the training, Pisney said.

Pisney said the SSMO supported CSTX/Global Medic for Class I catering in the following quantities: 100,992 meals, meals ready to eat (MREs); 99,316 servings, UGRs; 51,840 containers of UHT milk; 110,140 pounds of packaged ice cream; and additional supplements such as cereal, fresh fruit, salad mixes and salad dressings.

The unit group rations were probably the most important items used by the numerous Army Reserve field catering teams that participated in the training.

“The Unitized Group Rations require a food service professional to prepare,” Pisney said. “These rations are arranged in 50-person modules and contain meat, starch, vegetables, spices and beverages.”

During the CSTX/Global Medic training, the following field catering teams prepared meals on site: 764th Field Catering Team, 765th Field Catering Team, 766th Field Catering Team, 767th Field Catering Team, 776th Field Catering Team, 798th Field Catering Team, and 799th Field Catering Team.

Throughout the exercise, there were frequent occurrences of multiple M1075 Palletized Load System trucks and trailers being loaded with supplies of MREs, UGRs, and more in front of the SSMO in Building 490. SSMO personnel assisted with the loading using forklifts.

No matter what work needed to be done, Pisney said his team, like many other support areas at Fort McCoy, gets the work done behind the scenes as efficiently as possible without disrupting operations.

“We have a lot of unsung heroes, especially when you talk about this team,” Pisney also said in a previous news article. “Nutrition is a training factor and we don’t ever want it to be a distraction. The mission always comes first and if we can support the mission without distracting from it – that’s perfect.”

Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.”

Located in the heart of the Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army base in Wisconsin.

The facility has provided support and facilities for field and classroom training to more than 100,000 military personnel from all branches of the armed forces nearly every year since 1984.

More information about Fort McCoy can be found online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching for “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching for “usagmccoy.”

Also, download the “My Army Post” app on your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of the Army’s Installation Management Command, where “We are the Army’s home.”