NWTC skis into the future

Photo By Warrant Officer Sean Brady | Arctic warriors from U.S. Army Alaska’s Northern Warfare Training Center survey the terrain near Galbraith Lake, Alaska March 22, 2016. The team from NWTC skied 36 miles in three days testing their capabilities in arctic conditions. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Adam McQuiston)  

FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, UNITED STATES

04.11.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Sean Brady 

United States Army Alaska

On March 22 a team of eight NWTC cadre set out from Galbraith Lake, Alaska, to conduct a three-day ski exercise validating their dismounted movements and sustainment capability in mountainous and arctic conditions to determine if similar exercises can be integrated into future cold-weather courses.

The eight-man team, led by 1st Lt. Josh Sandler, NWTC training branch officer, began movement in the early morning hours at Galbraith Lake, at the northern edge of Alaska’s Brooks Range more than 350-miles north of Fort Wainwright. The team covered 36 mountainous miles in three days, navigating varied terrain to include steep ascents and descents, rolling hills, and several frozen water-crossings.

The mountains around them were scarred by avalanche activity and overflow-ice dotted the landscape indicating the possibility of running water beneath the surface which the team could break through during their route.

“As we were moving, we could see the blue, frozen waters from rivers and streams and knew that this meant the possibility of overflow-ice which would have been dangerous for our team,” said Sgt. 1st Class Adam McQuiston, training branch non-commissioned officer in charge.

Despite the weather conditions, the NWTC cadre skied over the dangerous terrain wearing standard-issue, cold-weather gear carrying rucksacks and pulling scout sleds weighing nearly 100 pounds combined. They slept in two-man tents at sub-zero temperatures and had to melt snow to maintain their water supply.

“It was definitely a confidence builder in ourselves, in the training we have been doing and in our equipment,” said Sandler.

This exercise is a way forward for the Northern Warfare Training Center, which plans to reincorporate ski training in future cold-weather courses. The center instructs more than 1200 Soldiers each year in cold region and mountain operations. They offer five courses and routinely train service members from different branches of the U.S. military and partner nations around the world.

“We proved that we really can move and sustain ourselves over long distances in the arctic and in the mountains. We can do it, and we’re prepared to train it,” said Sandler.
The center is currently rewriting the program of instruction for the Cold Weather Leaders Course and plans to include skiing in courses beginning this winter. The revamped course will incorporate a skiing exercise that requires students to move on skis and sustain themselves for multiple days.

“Skiing is the most efficient, fastest way to cover distance dismounted over snow it’s important to us to bring that capability back,” added Sandler.

• Date Taken: 04.11.2016
• Date Posted: 04.11.2016 13:30
• Story ID: 195027
• Location: FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, US