Photo By Sgt. Samuel Bonney | Spc. David Montgomery, a Soldier from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,...... read more read more
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FORT DRUM, New York (Oct. 5, 2023) – Soldiers from units across the 10th Mountain Division participated in Warrior Alpine Readiness (WAR) Week, from Oct. 2-5, 2023, on Fort Drum, New York.
During WAR Week, Soldiers focused on mountaineering and cold weather survival skills that enhanced the 10th Mountain Division’s ability to conduct team, section and crew-level training in an alpine environment.
The week consisted of rappelling, medical training, cold weather survivability skills, winterization training, rucking in the Adirondack Mountains, and an alpine skills competition.
Sgt. 1st Class Dave Bannis, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the winterization training, spoke about the importance of winter and alpine survivability.
“This week is important because Fort Drum is a winter-heavy base,” Bannis said.
“Soldiers need to know how to put snow chains on tires, set up arctic tents, and survive in alpine environments.”
The 10th Mountain Division’s continuous training with operations such as WAR Week allows Soldiers to consistently improve their cold weather survival and mountaineering skills.
Spc. Maria Rojas, a Soldier with 1st Brigade Combat Team, spoke about the opportunity to be a part of WAR Week.
“This experience was definitely interesting and exciting,” Rojas said.
“I’m more confident about myself and as a team member.”
The final event, an alpine skills competition, started with a three-mile run, followed by rappelling, casualty assessment, a Skedco sled pull, and attaching snow chains to a humvee.
Sgt. Thomas Rahn, a Soldier with 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion, expressed his eagerness to test his team’s skills at the final event.
“We’re definitely ready to test out the skills we’ve learned throughout the week,” Rahn said.
“There’s been a lot of improvement with each area and the camaraderie between the Soldiers.”
2nd Lt. Geoffrey Winslow, a Soldier with the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, spoke about the outcome of the weeklong operation.
“The operation had good training, there was a lot of rappelling and ascension of cliffs,” Winslow said.
“It’s something that will greatly increase our mobility and lethality on the modern battlefield, while also returning to the 10th Mountain Division’s roots.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2023 15:40 |
| Story ID: | 455311 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 151 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, WAR Week Strengthens Alpine Capabilities, by SGT Jaidon Novinska, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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