Photo By Airman 1st Class Spencer Hanson | Airmen from the 354th Fighter Wing warm up by a fire during Arctic Resiliency Training...... read more read more
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The Fairbanks North Star Borough can get as little as three hours of sunlight a day, with temperatures averaging -5ºF in the harshest winter months. How do you prepare an Airmen to experience these conditions and thrive in them? That is the challenge Arctic Resiliency Training looks to overcome.
The ART course is a two-day and one-night field exercise focused on preparing new Airmen for the challenging Alaska conditions through hands-on training and exercises, and lessons on how to thrive in an Arctic environment. This training is in conjunction with other Arctic survival exercises to better prepare Airmen for Agile Combat Employment and Indo-Pacific Command’s mission to protect a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
“Airmen assigned to Alaska have a short window of time to learn and understand the Arctic,” said Chief Master Sgt. Heath Temple, command chief, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force. “We need to accelerate that learning curve towards the front end of their assignment and that’s where the ART course came from.”
Throughout the course Airmen learn how to properly layer their clothes, proper work-rest cycles during extreme cold and how to stay safe on the roads. Airmen are also taught and tested on starting a fire, building a proper shelter and other survival training.
For Airman 1st Class Nicolas Fretz, 354th Logistical Readiness Squadron ground transportation operator, who just arrived in Alaska two months ago, finds the class to be engaging and informative.
“Everyone should at least experience the ART course,” said Fretz. “I know a lot of people in my shop that are from California or Florida who have never seen snow a day in their life and they get here and are overwhelmed. I think this course gives them good information.”
This is why Master Sgt. Charles Wood, 354th Arctic Resiliency program manager and Fairbanks native, desired to start this class. He believes Alaska can often intimidate new residents due to its climate and wildlife as it’s an unforgiving location where mistakes can cause harm.
“Alaska is a beast,” said Wood. “Alaska is stronger and bigger than you’ll ever be. But if you’re educated you can prepare yourself and thrive. I think the benefit and reward reaped out of this [course] is tremendous.”
The course has held two classes so far this winter, with the first being a senior leader class and class 25-1 that graduated 14 Airmen. Eielson will hold six more classes through the remaining winter months while improving the course material and training to better assist new students. All Airmen stationed at Eielson can enroll in the course with no prerequisites.
| Date Taken: | 11.27.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.27.2024 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 486319 |
| Location: | EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Airmen Learn Arctic Resiliency, by A1C Spencer Hanson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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