Photo By Michael Strasser | National Ski Patrol representatives observe Soldiers securing a load onto a suspension...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Jan. 22, 2023) -- More than 80 years ago, Charles “Minnie” Dole, founder of the National Ski Patrol, advocated for the development of the Army’s first military mountaineer unit.
And from the tenacity of civilian organizations such as the NSP and the American Alpine Association to recruit elite mountaineers, skiers and outdoorsmen into service, the 10th Mountain Division was formed.
The NSP was said to have recruited 8,000 Soldiers between 1941 and 1944 to serve in the division, and they also assisted in the training.
The connection between the NSP and the 10th Mountain Division (LI) continues today, and members of local and regional ski patrols were at Fort Drum this week for the D-Series Winter Challenge.
John Beach, Eastern Division of the National Ski Patrol historian, said NSP members are proud of their heritage and the relationship that was forged with the 10th Mountain Division.
“We have gone to the 10th Mountain Division (and Fort Drum) Museum, and you see a lot about the NSP there, and then over at the NCO Academy, you walk in, and you see NSP,” he said. “So, there’s a lot of pride, and anybody in our organization – the 35,000 of us in the United States – they all know the history between the NSP and the 10th Mountain Division.”
Beach has attended the past four D-Series competitions.
“It’s very significant to us being here for the D-Series, which has become kind of the building blocks for maintaining that relationship with the 10th Mountain,” he said.
Beach said that NSP members are pleased to offer their expertise in outdoor emergency care procedures, lift evacuation and ropework.
“We have a group called Mountain Travel Rescue (MTR), which goes into cross-country skiing, rappelling, back-country survival, and they serve sort of like a catch-all for everything else that we do in the National Ski Patrol,” Beach said.
Maj. Sam Colby, 10th Mountain Division (LI) Special Operations Forces planner, said the D-Series was an opportunity to celebrate the historical civil-military partnership while leaning on the unique capabilities for which the NSP is known.
“Here’s a community of capable outdoor enthusiasts who have specialized skill sets that we, at the division, want to possess,” he said. “The D-Series lets us strengthen those bonds we have by exchanging ideas and best practices throughout the training events to make our units more capable.”
Dave Martel, NSP liaison for the 10th Mountain Division, retired from Fort Drum as the division’s senior enlisted adviser in 2015. Soon after, he joined the National Ski Patrol. He serves as the director of the Dry Hill Ski Patrol, which has active-duty and former 10th Mountain Division (LI) members on its roster.
“The National Ski Patrol was the only civilian organization authorized to recruit solely for the military,” he said. “With me, it was kind of the reverse. I got recruited into the ski patrol after I retired from the military. But it’s a good place to continue that relationship. It’s a great organization to belong to, and it’s just fun.”
Martel said New York has more ski patrols than anywhere else in the country.
“The ski patrol tries to introduce people to outdoor sports in the winter, because it’s a long season here,” he said. “Not everybody comes to Fort Drum having seen snow before, and it’s always interesting that young Soldier who gets coaxed by his buddy to try skiing for the first time. This is a great area to learn, and we provide that safe venue before they venture their way towards Whiteface and some of the bigger hills.”
Martel said it is rewarding to meet Soldiers on the slopes and watch them cultivate a love for winter recreation. Some become quite skilled, he said, before they leave for their next duty station.
“That’s the hard part,” he said. “We get them here, we train them, and then they move on. We had one Soldier, a nurse, who moved to Alaska, and she was still able to patrol there.”
As the 10th Mountain Division continues to embrace the Alpine culture, with more Soldiers developing new skill sets to thrive in severe environments, Martel said Fort Drum is the ideal training grounds.
“It will teach you how to deal with the elements,” he said. “Because if you can survive up here, you can go just about anywhere. It’s not the easiest environment, but these young Soldiers are getting the equipment they need and the training, learning how to use it, and how to move with all their gear. It’s great to see them out there.”
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 01.22.2024 08:13 |
| Story ID: | 462165 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 319 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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