Fort McCoy might be cold, but training for these Marines goes on
By Ken Chamberlain
Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 conduct flight familiarization over Fort McCoy, Wis., during Ullr Shield, Jan. 19, 2018.
There’s nothing like training in a warm, comfortable environment, perhaps with beaches and palm trees.
And then there’s training at Fort McCoy.
In January.
Hundreds of Marines, however, made the trip to the base earlier this month in Wisconsin for the 2nd Marine Air Wing’s Ullr Shield, which was designed to improve their capabilities in extreme cold-weather environments, according to the Marine Corps.
What better place to practice keeping an Osprey from icing over, taking a dip in a iced-over lake and firing a M2 .50-caliber?
What better place just to get cold?
A Marine at Fort McCoy for the 2nd Marine Air Wing’s Ullr Shield exercise participates in cold-water immersion training at Big Sandy Lake on South Post on Jan. 17, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. (Scott T. Sturkol/Army)U.S. Marine with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 prepares a CH-53E Super Stallion for flight during Ullr Shield on Fort McCoy, Wis., Jan. 23, 2018. (Staff Sgt. Kowshon Ye/Marine Corps)Marines at Fort McCoy for the 2nd Marine Air Wing’s Ullr Shield exercise complete cold-weather weapons familiarization with the M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun on Jan. 16, 2018, on Range 2 at Fort McCoy, Wis. (Scott T. Sturkol/Army)A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 flies over Fort McCoy, Wis. during Ullr Shield, Jan. 19, 2018. (Sgt. Joselyn Jimenez/Marine Corps)Marines assigned to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 conduct a ski patrol during exercise Ullr Shield on Fort McCoy, Wis., Jan. 17, 2018. (Lance Cpl. Cody Rowe/Marine Corps)Marines with Marine Air Control Group 28 radio for a casualty evacuation as part of urban operations training during Ullr Shield on Fort McCoy, Wis., Jan. 20, 2018. (Sgt. Joselyn Jimenez/Marine Corps)Marines assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 2 qualify in the gas chamber course during exercise Ullr Shield on Fort McCoy, Wis., Jan. 18, 2018. (Lance Cpl. Cody Rowe/Marine Corps)Marines assigned to Marine Air Control Group 28 check their ammunition on a range during Ullr Shield on Fort McCoy, Wis., Jan. 16, 2018. (Lance Cpl. Jailine L. Martinez/Marine Corps)Marines at Fort McCoy for the 2nd Marine Air Wing’s Ullr Shield exercise operate in a wooded area on South Post on Jan. 17, 2018, at Fort McCoy, Wis. (Scott T. Sturkol/Army)
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