Ten Soldiers of the Vermont Army National Guard’s (VTARNG) Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) successfully completed the first recorded Norwegian Ski Badge event hosted by a unit other than the Norwegian Armed Forces. The unit hosted the event at Ethan Allen Firing Range with the approval from the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
“For our Soldiers, skiing isn’t just a badge to earn — it’s a core mountain skill and part of who we are as a company,” said Alpha Company 1st Sgt. Robin Fitch-McCullough. “When you put a ruck on their backs and send them across snow and mountains as a team, you build toughness, trust and confidence. Events like this sharpen our edge, strengthen our cohesion, and make our Soldiers ready for whatever mission comes next.”
The Badge Standard
The Norwegian Ski Badge is a military proficiency badge awarded to Soldiers who demonstrate endurance and skill in military skiing under rigorous winter conditions. Earning this badge requires meeting multiple expectations. Soldiers must complete a 30-kilometer (18-mile) ski course across varied terrain. They must do so while carrying a weapon and a weighted ruck totaling at least 11 kilograms (24 pounds). A marksmanship assessment of a full rifle qualification is also required. These conditions challenge strength, endurance and technical proficiency in winter mountain conditions and demonstrating a Soldier’s readiness for mountain and winter operations.
The event is conducted in accordance with standards established by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and its Defense Attaché Office. Alpha Company formally requested authorization to host the event and confirmed that its operations plan meets all prescribed requirements, including distance, equipment and uniform configuration, time standards, environmental considerations and safety protocols.
Reemphasizing Mountain Warfare
While some Soldiers arrive with strong ski backgrounds, many have limited or no experience. They learn to ski and hone their skill during winter drills. Dedicated ski training reflects the battalion’s renewed emphasis on winter and mountain warfare skills — capabilities that distinguish Vermont’s Mountain Battalion within the National Guard. Additionally, the unit currently trains alongside Austrian Armed Forces. Austria is one of the Vermont National Guard's state partners. Exercises like this help prepare Soldiers for more joint training exercises in the years ahead.
“Strengthening our winter and mountain warfare skills is central to our mission, and it’s an honor for our unit to compete for the prestigious Norwegian Ski Badge,” said Capt. Aaron Hildebrand, Commander of Alpha Company. “Many of these Soldiers are preparing to deploy this year, and events like this strengthen both their physical endurance and mental resilience.”
Unit Legacy
Alpha Company carries a long-standing legacy as a premier mountain infantry organization. The Army established the unit in September 1982 to restore its light infantry capability in winter and mountain warfare after it disbanded the historic 10th Mountain Division following World War II.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Alpha Company trained alongside the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Italian Alpine infantry units, the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, and the U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School. Following the high operational tempo of deployments after 2001, including missions to Iraq (2005), Afghanistan (2010), and the Arabian Peninsula (2021), as well as multiple training rotations to North Macedonia, the company reinvested in its foundational mountain skills. Chief among those skills is military skiing, a capability that distinguishes Alpha Company from most other National Guard units.
Upon completion of the event, Alpha Company will submit final statistics and required documentation to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in accordance with official close-out procedures.