PGA golfer visits Wisconsin National Guard training institute

By Sgt. Megan Burnham

112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

PGA golfer Steve Stricker of Madison continued his education about the Wisconsin National Guard by visiting the 426th Regional Training Institute, its employees and current students at Ft. McCoy, Wis., Tuesday (Apr. 17) as part of a Community Center of Influence event. 

Stricker and another Madison-based PGA golfer, Jerry Kelly, conducted a similar visit in January to the Milwaukee-based 128th Air Refueling Wing to learn about the role of the Wisconsin Air National Guard. Events like these help increase understanding of the Wisconsin National Guard and its dual mission for an influential audience that might not otherwise interact with National Guard members.

The day began with Stricker meeting Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard; Command Chief Warrant Officer Craig Krenz, and Col. Kenneth Koon, Wisconsin Army National Guard chief of staff, at Joint Force Headquarters in Madison before taking a 45-minute UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter orientation flight to Ft. McCoy.

"I felt a lot of anticipation, really not knowing what to expect," Stricker said. "I've never been up in a Black Hawk before so I knew that was going to be very exciting."

Subject matter experts at the 426th RTI demonstrated the capabilities of the training simulators to Stricker. These included Mine Resistant Ambush Protector (MRAP) rollover trainer, operator driver simulator, call for fire trainer and engagement skills trainer (EST).

"Mr. Stricker gets the chance to observe Soldier's training and the types of equipment and systems they train on, which gives him a much better perspective of what we do, how we train and our missions," Anderson explained. "This allows him to be a better advocate for the sacrifices made by our Soldiers and - from having seen and experienced some of the training firsthand - he can provide a better perspective to those influential people he deals with."

In addition to the simulator demonstrations, Stricker met with Soldiers conducting classes such as transportation operations, cannon crewmember advanced leadership course (ALC) and resilience training assistant (RTA) course.

"It means a lot to both our staff and our students that [Stricker] found time to come up to see what we do for a living," said Lt. Col Gary Thompson, operations officer for the 426th. "We have all seen him work, but it was great for our morale to have a chance to show him what we do as Soldiers.

"Mr. Stricker is a class act," Thompson continued. "It was great to have him here, taking time to shake hands, sign every golf ball and pose for every picture requested."

Stricker said that he and the PGA Tour understand the importance of supporting and "to give back just a little bit" to the military, the National Guard and Wounded Warriors.

"They serve our country and serve us as individuals," Stricker said. "It's [an] important part of what we have, the freedoms we have here in our country."