Photo By Michael S Obrien | Sgt. 1st Class Edward Cummings arrives to the one-rope bridge site during the Basic...... read more read more
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FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The heavy breathing, tired, sweat-soaked troops finally reached their next training station during the Mountain Stakes phase at of the Northern Warfare Training Center’s Basic Military Mountaineering Course.
Mountain Stakes, as it is known, is the culminating event after almost two weeks of training, and exams.
The students, who come from all branches of service and even foreign partnered nations, attend to learn small-unit operations in mountainous terrain.
The biggest difference between the military mountaineering course and civilian climbing is the enemy. The terrains, the weather, risks of injury, challenges to movement are all similar. That difference, the enemy, brings in many planning and resource considerations to be combat effective in this environment.
That training and knowledge is taught right here in Alaska, at the Black Rapids Training Site.
“NWTC is critical to ensuring our leaders and soldiers are trained to fight and win in the mountainous and extreme cold-weather environments,” said Maj. Gen. Michael H. Shields U.S. Army Alaska commanding general.
They will break into small groups and successfully complete all the required tasks, maybe. Although there is a high success rate, there are some injuries and failures through the course. These troops are usually enrolled into the Mountain Warfare Orientation Course, teaching is more important than sending someone home. That’s how important this training is to U.S. Army Alaska and our partnered nations.
The squads will navigate from one event to the other, usually climbing through rugged terrain, ascending a mountainside, or even crossing a waterfall.
The day’s events consist of a Prusik ascent, one rope bridge, suspense and traverse, a 3-1 system casualty hoist, high angle range.
Students also learn how to conduct movement on a glacier, crevasse rescue and knot tying.
“I like this type of testing,” said Cadet Tony Hu, an Army ROTC cadet at the University of Alaska, “it is real life, not simulated, or on paper.”
Soldiers will leave this course with the leadership skills and the mountaineering techniques and the confidence to teach others and advise leaders on the considerations and requirements of operating in this environment.
“The the course was mentally and physically hard, I am glad I did it,” said Hu.
This course is also used to train soldiers who will become instructors at other Army schools.
Sgt. 1st Class Edward Cummings, a platoon sergeant assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, is attending to become a level 1 mountaineer and begin instructing at the 5th Ranger Training Battalion in Dahlonega, Ga.
“Aside from becoming a ranger instructor, this training is very valuable in places like Afghanistan,” said Cummings. “I wish I had attended before deployment, the operations in higher elevations and challenging terrain would have been easier with this knowledge.”
Just like an infomercial, wait there’s more, the Northern Warfare Training Center teaches multiple courses throughout the year: courses like Assault Climbers Course, Cold Weather Leaders Course, and Cold Weather Orientation Course.
The NWTC is not the only military mountaineering school; the other is located in Jericho, Vt. The courses are identical in the techniques and skills learned.
“The doctrinal training and instructions are almost identical,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Heth, branch chief, Army Mountain Warfare School, Jericho, Vt.
“Both of the schools try to send instructors to the others’ school. This allows us to see new methods of teaching and learn how to better train and update doctrine,” said Heth.
The classes and training are what make U.S. Army Alaska the premier cold weather combat force.
“Although both schools are almost mirror images of each other as far as instruction, equipment, and training standards, the terrain and weather here cannot be found anywhere else in the world, it is unique to Alaska, which means each class is affected differently,” said Maj. William Prayner, Northern Warfare Training Center commander.
The squad at the one rope bridge – thirsty, exhausted, and extremely sore – completed that task and received a reward: the directions to their next event.
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2013 19:21 |
| Story ID: | 114634 |
| Location: | FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 373 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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