Photo By Scott Sturkol | Students in the Cold-Weather Operations Course (CWOC) Class 18-06 practice snowshoeing...... read more read more
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More than 20 students in the Cold-Weather Operations Course Class 18-06 trained in using a loaded ahkio sled while snowshoeing during class training in early March. Their training was similar to hundreds of students who trained before them in the course.
Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) Warehouse Supervisor Scott Huber, who manages the warehouse in building 495, said Fort McCoy's cold-weather training equipment inventory includes many ahkio sleds and they are an important piece of equipment used in the course.
An ahkio is a traditional, reindeer-pulled sled of the Lapland people of Finland, and is used for many purposes, including cold-weather expeditions.
"For our training package, the sleds are used to carry the tent, stove, fuel, and other equipment troops would need to go out to a site and set up a living and operations area," Huber said. "The ahkio sleds are a critical transportation piece for the whole training package."
More than 200 students have trained with the sleds through six classes for CWOC, said Instructor Bill Hamilton.
"The sled contains all the equipment they need to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment," Hamilton said. "The students learn not only about the equipment in the sled, but also how to pull it on skis and snowshoes as well as over varied types of terrain."
For each course, CWOC students completed training with the sled at a training space on the cantonment area as well as at Whitetail Ridge Ski Area, depending on how much snow was on the ground, Hamilton said.
"The ahkio sled is just one of the overall pieces of equipment that ties all of this training together," Hamilton said. "Through all of the training, our students learn how to trust their equipment and work together as a team."
For pulling loaded ahkio sleds during training, CWOC students are split into teams to control and pull the sled.
"They can take turns on who's doing the pulling too," Hamilton said. "We've seen a lot of great teamwork in this effort during training."
In addition to learning how to use an ahkio sled, CWOC students are trained on a variety of cold-weather subjects, including snowshoe training and skiing.
Training also focuses on terrain and weather analysis, risk management, cold-weather clothing, developing winter fighting positions in the field, camouflage and concealment, and numerous other areas that are important to know in order to survive and operate in a cold-weather environment.
Fort McCoy has supported America's armed forces since 1909. The installation's motto is to be the "Total Force Training Center." The post's varied terrain, state-of-the-art ranges, new as well as renovated facilities, and extensive support infrastructure combine to provide military personnel with an environment in which to develop and sustain the skills necessary for mission success.
Today, Fort McCoy has become the Army's premier Total Force Training Center for Army Early Response Force early deployers to meet the Army's operational demand requirements. Learn more about Fort McCoy online at www.mccoy.army.mil, on Facebook by searching "ftmccoy," and on Twitter by searching "usagmccoy."
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2018 13:18 |
| Story ID: | 269044 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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