Wisconsin Guard engineers help build community relationships

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson

Wisconsin National Guard

For the 829th Engineer Company - a Wisconsin Army National Guard unit based in Chippewa Falls with subordinate units in Richland Center and Ashland - this annual training is all about getting back to basics and giving back to the community.

The company is working in successive rotations from June 4 through July 25 to build a new concession stand for the Ashland School District's Oredocker Stadium at Weikal Field. As a vertical construction unit, Soldiers in the 832nd are trained as carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians - the very skills needed for this project.

The stadium itself was renovated a few years ago, but the concession stand - a 30-year-old temporary structure - remained inadequate. The new cinder-block structure will include a ticket window and public restrooms.

A fund-raising effort by the Oredocker Foundation provided the materials, but not the labor. The foundation approached the Guard unit in Ashland about constructing the stand and, after the paperwork was properly processed, the project received a green light.

"We obviously couldn't get the job done without the National Guard," said John McFaul, president of the non-profit Oredocker Foundation. "They've just been outstanding."

"It was a perfect scenario for us," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Wensel, the company training non-commissioned officer and readiness non-commissioned officer for the detachment. "The material was already paid for. This is probably the cheapest annual training the Wisconsin National Guard has had."

Soldiers are lodging at the Ashland armory during their annual training, so other than Soldier pay, the only real cost to the National Guard is meals.

Capt. Darin Beschta, commander of the 829th, said the project offered a unique training opportunity for the 829th as well as the 824th Engineer Detachment, a Richland Center-based unit specializing in concrete.

"Due to deployment, pre-mobilization and post-mobilization requirements and lack of building materials, neither unit has conducted quality [military occupational skill] training in over two years," Beschta said in the project memo. "The training offered by this project will provide both units the opportunity to begin the process of becoming proficient at the squad and platoon level tasks necessary for future deployment as a construction asset.

Beschta said the project provided a real-world opportunity to accomplish required training such as engineer company operations, general construction operations, and provide concrete for construction.

Dr. Fred Tidstrom, vice-president of the Oredocker Foundation, said the project seemed to meet the needs of each organization.

"It's a symbolic public/private partnership between the National Guard and the Oredocker Foundation," he said. "It shows what you can do when people share the same vision."

Tidstrom said that in-kind donations and the National Guard labor brought the costs of a $150,000 project down to about $30,000.

Tom Grossjean, building and grounds director for the Ashland School District, praised the approximately 120 Soldiers working on the project.

"I've worked closely with [the Soldiers,]" he said. "I'm very pleased - they're great folks to work with. I'd love to do another project with them."

Grossjean noted that the Soldiers readily identify issues during construction and quickly devise solutions to keep the project on schedule.

"There's a lot of qualified folks there," he said.

Wensel said that Soldiers in the unit were enjoying the project.

"They're telling me, 'Hey, we're actually doing our mission,'" he said. During their last deployment from 2009-2010, members of the 829th Engineer Company performed detainee operations.

Approximately 30 members of the 829th were recognized for their efforts at the Oredocker Foundation's annual "Breakfast of Champions" event June 25.