Fort McCoy employment experts connect with workforce partners during panel at Western Technical College

Personnel from Fort McCoy joined regional workforce and education partners April 16 at Western Technical College for an employment panel designed to strengthen awareness about civilian career opportunities, hiring processes, and workforce support programs connected to Fort McCoy.

Held at Western’s Sparta campus, the event brought together approximately 30 to 40 attendees, including members of the Fort McCoy Area Workforce Collaborative Meeting (AWCM), employment specialists, educators, and community workforce representatives.

The panel was coordinated by Fort McCoy employment specialists and staff and Wisconsin employment support experts to provide attendees with a better understanding of federal employment opportunities available at Fort McCoy as well as the tools and resources available to help applicants navigate the hiring process.

Kevin Ruetten of Western Technical College opened the event and welcomed participants before Maj. Zach Daugherty, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort McCoy, provided an overview of Fort McCoy and its impact on the surrounding communities and regional economy.

Daugherty discussed the installation’s role as one of the Army’s premier Total Force Training Centers, supporting training and readiness for active-duty military personnel, the National Guard, Army Reserve, and other government agencies. He also highlighted Fort McCoy’s importance as a major employer in western Wisconsin.

Representatives from Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR), civilian personnel offices, and spouse employment programs, then shared information on hiring procedures, available positions, and workforce initiatives.

Scott Abell with DFMWR addressed questions regarding hiring freezes, transportation options for employees commuting from surrounding communities, and the differences between federal employment positions and jobs provided through contracted third-party companies operating on the installation.
Panel discussions also focused on the variety of civilian hiring entities connected to Fort McCoy and the timelines associated with federal hiring processes.

Nic Kletzien, representing appropriated fund (APF) civilian employment from the Fort McCoy Directorate of Human Resources, explained the distinctions between various hiring offices and discussed how applicants move from initial application submission through interviews, onboarding, and first-day employment. Topics also included the use of virtual, phone, and in-person interviews depending on the position and organization.

Kletzien also emphasized that applicants do not need prior military service to work at Fort McCoy and discussed the broad range of civilian positions available across the installation. Additional discussion included opportunities for internships, job shadowing, work experience programs, and employment assistance services available through installation programs.

Lorie Retzlaff, who coordinated the panel and serves as a USAJOBS and spouse employment subject-matter expert with the Fort McCoy Army Community Service Office, provided attendees with updates on changes to the USAJOBS hiring platform and federal resume requirements.

Retzlaff discussed recent modifications to USAJOBS, including updated resume guidance and changes associated with the website’s recent relaunch. She also explained how employment counselors and workforce professionals can better assist job seekers applying for federal positions.

During the spouse employment portion of the panel, Retzlaff highlighted programs available to military spouses, including the Military Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program and the Military Spouse Hiring Initiative being developed in partnership with the Tomah Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives Kari Albrecht and Kate Sharp, also with DFMWR, discussed non-appropriated fund (NAF) employment opportunities at Fort McCoy and outlined entry-level positions available for applicants with limited work experience. They also explained the NAF hiring process and discussed benefits associated with NAF employment opportunities at the installation.

The event concluded with an extended question-and-answer session that allowed workforce professionals and community partners to engage directly with Fort McCoy employment specialists on topics ranging from hiring timelines to application procedures and career pathways.

Organizers said the panel was intended to strengthen collaboration between Fort McCoy and regional workforce organizations while helping employment counselors and educators better guide prospective applicants interested in federal civilian careers connected to the installation.

Fort McCoy’s workforce partnerships with area educational institutions, chambers of commerce, and workforce agencies continue to support employment outreach efforts while helping connect qualified applicants with civilian career opportunities throughout the installation.

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.”