Photo By Nathan Rivard | U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Greg Knight, Vermont National Guard adjutant general, speaks...... read more read more
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The 55th International Association of Military Mountain Schools held its annual conference February 20-24th at the Camp Ethan Allen Firing Range and surrounding areas.
This conference brought together 19 countries and more than 70 participants from throughout the world to discuss military operations and how they could benefit from partnerships within the military mountain school community.
“It’s a gathering of all of our strategic partners who have military mountaineering instruction programs in their host countries,” said Sgt. First Class Nicholas Ash, an U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School instructor with the Vermont National Guard. “My personal technical committee that I sat on was excellent. The interaction, the sharing of ideas, and the back and forth. The solutions we came to for solving problems regarding moving on skis and such things was excellent. That was a highlight for me.”
Ash participated in the dismounted over-snow mobility session, which primarily focused on movement using skis. Other topics included the employment of weapons in a mountainous environment and mountain fitness and nutrition, essentially preparing Soldiers to move and fight in the mountains.
“They are the most current topics of importance to our military and the other militaries,” said Ash. “It’s a great opportunity to come together with the partners we work jointly with, share ideas, share technology, share techniques to find common ground and find common operating concepts.”
The collaboration is felt amongst the numerous different countries attending.
“It’s always good to see different units, different partners, how they do things, and that’s the only way to develop and actually progress forward is to share experience,” said Swedish Armed Forces Sgt. Maj. Fredrik Flink, Subarctic Warfare Center. “Back home, we have the experience for building a winter program, procurement of correct winter equipment, and lessons learned. Even though global war on terrorism has taken its toll for 22 years of experience, we continue to do winter training, so we have the experience.”
In addition to the educational sessions, winter training activities were occurring throughout the area. One activity was ice climbing on natural waterfalls in Jeffersonville.
“We took all the foreign instructors or guests to Smugglers Notch for ice climbing,” said Ash. “It’s a nice chance to socialize, to network, to just share a love and passion for the environment that we’re involved in and tasked to work and teach in. That’s just a great opportunity to work in that many nations in an environment that you all share is great.”
For some IAMMS attendees, this event was the highlight of their trip.
“Personally, ice climbing, but the most important topic was the technical community because there were work groups and we can present to leaders afterwards some conclusions,” said German Armed Forces 1st Lt. Pascal Endress, mountain rescue officer. “I’m here to talk about the topics, especially for future topics like artic warfare and I’m here to connect with other nations to link up with them and get an exchange tactics and equipment.”
The IAMMS conference was also held in the new U.S. Army Mountain Warfare school, which hosted its first class this year, in the new $30 million facility.
“The schoolhouse here is top modern,” said Flink. “Good location, good facility and I hope we as the Subarctic Warfare Center can continue an exchange with the Vermont schoolhouse and exchange instructors, students and share some knowledge.”
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2023 13:40 |
| Story ID: | 440479 |
| Location: | CAMP JOHNSON, VERMONT, US |
| Web Views: | 145 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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