Photo By Senior Airman Addie Peterson | Air National Guard Security Forces specialists prepare to ruck as part of the Air...... read more read more
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CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. — In temperatures well below zero and with no option to retreat indoors, 57 Air National Guard Airmen from 17 states and two countries completed the Cold Weather Operations Course (CWOC) at Camp Ripley Training Center from Jan. 19–31, demonstrating the physical endurance, adaptability, and teamwork required to operate in one of the the world’s harshest environments.
Over nearly two weeks, participants rucked more than 25 miles across snow-covered terrain while hauling full loads of arctic tents, sleds, and cold-weather gear. They trained, slept, and operated outdoors as temperatures averaged well below zero.
“This course brings together Airmen from all over the country, and even from outside the U.S., who willingly step into some of the toughest environments you can find anywhere in the world,” said Master Sgt. Heath Parks, CWOC lead instructor, 148th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron. “They don’t come here because it’s comfortable. They come here to challenge themselves in ways you can’t find anywhere else.”
The CWOC curriculum prepares Airmen to operate in subzero conditions, beginning with classroom instruction on cold-weather injuries, risk management, and equipment use before moving into hands-on field training. Those lessons are carried directly into practice as students applied survival skills, land navigation, fire building, hypothermia response, and arctic shelter construction during extended field exercises.
Modern conflict, Parks explained, demands more than traditional combat skills. “Today’s warfighting isn’t just about sending bullets downrange,” he said. “It’s about being ready for every environment and learning to overcome adversity when conditions are at their absolute worst.”
The culminating field phase pushed Airmen to apply those lessons under sustained stress. Teams operated continuously outdoors, building and sleeping in thermal shelters constructed from limited materials, hauling equipment over long distances, and responding to environments designed to strain decision-making and cohesion.
“Living in the Midwest, I thought I knew what cold was,” said participant Master Sgt. Gunnar Gilmore, 4N Medical Superintendent, 55th CERF-P, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division. “Out here, you learn what cold truly is. There’s no escaping it. When you’re in these conditions there’s usually a chance to warm up. Here, there isn’t.”
Gilmore emphasized that the environment forces Airmen to rely fully on their training and teammates. “You have to embrace what you’ve learned and come together as a team, because if you don’t, the consequences are real,” he said.
As equipment froze and fatigue mounted, adaptability became critical. “Things fail fast. Plans fall apart even faster,” Gilmore added. “At first, you want to come out here and be hardcore. Then you realize there’s nothing special you can do to make it any easier. You accept your training, leverage your team, and push through together.”
That mindset of humility, trust, and collective problem-solving is exactly what CWOC is designed to reinforce.
The course concluded with a cold-water immersion, a final test designed to reinforce the shock of extreme environments. After entering the frigid water, participants were recovered by their teams and rushed to arctic shelters, applying the same techniques they had practiced throughout the course.
By the end of CWOC, 57 Airmen had spent nearly two weeks operating in sustained subzero conditions. They saw how quickly cold weather can degrade equipment, complicate decision-making, and expose gaps in planning and communication. The training environment left little room for error, requiring teams to adapt and execute deliberately under stress.
“The value of this course goes well beyond the cold,” said Parks. “It prepares Airmen to operate when conditions are uncertain and there’s no easy reset. Those are challenges they’ll face anywhere.”
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2026 12:01 |
| Story ID: | 557682 |
| Location: | MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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