A Soldier crosses a stream using a parallel high wire during a small unit movement operation, Dec. 11, at Fort Drum, N.Y., during the two-week mountain warfare course, a class intended to provide Soldiers with basic mountaineering and wilderness surv...
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Jan. 12, 2015) -- Twenty-six Soldiers epitomized the spirit of the 10th Mountain Division song when they braved the "cold of snow," during the rigorous Mountain Warfare Course, or MWC, Dec 1-12. From rucking through drifts while freezing drizzle fell, to learning to tie knots that would support their weight in a variety of rappelling and climbing situations, Soldiers developed confidence in their abilities to accomplish the mission no matter what Mother Nature had in store for them.
Previously known as the mountain winter warfare course, this training has been offered by the Light Fighters School for more than three years. Some changes recently have been made to the curriculum to better prepare Soldiers for missions in challenging terrain and climates, said Staff Sgt. Eric Walker, the non-commissioned officer in charge for the course.
"This is the first year it was known as the mountain warfare course," he said. "Fiscal year 2015 is the first year it is scheduled year round."
The scope of the course will be dependent upon the weather conditions for each class session. While snowshoeing and proper use of hypothermia wraps will be a part of the winter sessions, the summer sessions will focus primarily on rock climbing and wilderness survival skills.
Some of the most basic portions of the course -- climbing, rappelling, emergency fire-making techniques, and water procurement -- are essential to mission accomplishment in any climate, said Walker.
"Combat operations may happen in any environment," he said. "It is essential that our Army be able to accomplish its missions regardless of the environment in which they find themselves operating."
The course began with the basic skills in mountaineering. Soldiers learned to tie 15 knots using four different rope systems, and they were drilled on these skills at length before they could begin learning to rappel.
"All of the knots we teach at the MWC are either used in rappelling operations or in the hauling systems we conduct," Walker said. "There are countless knots -- the 15 that we teach are just a starting point that provides students with the most valuable for the systems we teach." Tying knots properly is essential to the safety of the Soldiers, and it is a skill that the course instructors take very seriously.
"Each MWC instructor is dedicated to providing the student with the best learning experience possible," he said. "Instructors commit to providing ample coaching time on knots and systems, volunteering to stay after class to assist students who are having difficulties."
Once all of the Soldiers have learned their knots and systems, they move on to practicing rappelling--first, on the wall outside the Light Fighters School, and then on a rock face.
One of the most nerve-wrecking portions of the rappelling practice is learning to rely upon the function of the auto-block, which supports a Soldier's weight without the assistance of a belay-person. Part of the practice with the auto-block includes going "hands-free," letting go completely of the ropes while in the middle of a rappel.
A second new skill, the Prusik ascent, taught Soldiers to use their own body strength to pull themselves up using a system that consists of a waist harness and a foot stirrup. Soldiers had to work in a coordinated manner that took some practice, said Sgt. Dustin Pinder, from 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
"It was difficult because you had to use different muscles," Pinder said. "The main thing is to learn the right procedure and trust your equipment. You have to really learn your knots and set your distances up properly. Otherwise, you're going to work yourself a lot more physically."
After several more days of practicing, the Soldiers were ready for a new challenge -- rappelling a rock face. Tying off to large trees at the top, each Soldier made the descent down the wall. Walker pointed out that while the basic skills are the same, rappelling a rock face is very different from rappelling on a wooden practice wall.
"The rock surface is uneven," he said. "Small rocks will break and fall off as they descend, and there is ice on the rock and they have to learn to navigate."
For Staff Sgt. Andres Serna of 1- 89 Cavalry, the rock rappel was as invigorating as it was challenging. A two-time veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Serna said he was thrilled to have an opportunity to complete training in mountaineering.
"I know what it is like to navigate treacherous mountain terrain," he said. "These skills will be extremely useful to me. On future deployments, I know I will revert back to the knowledge I obtained in this course."
In addition to rappelling practice, Soldiers also completed modules in extreme weather injury prevention and treatment and basic wilderness survival. They learned to start a fire using three different methods, how to treat water to make it potable, and how to set up shelter.
During a two-night field exercise, students put these skills into practice as they assembled and sheltered in a 10-man tent.
The weather fluctuated drastically during the course, providing Soldiers with a few slightly warmer days. On the morning of one of their final assessments, however, students awoke to a blanket of snow that was almost a foot deep.
Assembling at the top of a large hill in the woods, they began a small unit movement operation, consisting of rucking through the woods to complete a simulated exercise situation.
Sgt. Mitchell Staelens, one of the MWC instructors, explained that students are to establish a succession of command and plan their approach.
"The succession of command lets everyone know who will be in charge in the event of an emergency," he said. "The students will be responding to a simulated casualty, and someone has to be in charge of making decisions."
Carrying 50-plus-pound packs full of gear, ropes and systems, the students set off on a course that wound through the woods. As they maneuvered, they used the skills they learned in the course to safely navigate steep hills and streams.
After hiking a mile into the woods and getting the entire unit across a stream using a parallel high-wire strung between two trees, one member of each group was chosen to be a simulated casualty. The remaining members of the unit were to place the casualty in a hypothermia wrap on a Skedco and retrace their trail.
"Today we're watching to see if they can put all of their knowledge together," Staelens said. "We're looking for perfect systems and flawless execution."
At the end of the course, the top two students were identified, and their names were added to a waiting list to complete the basic mountaineering course at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont.
"The goal is for the top two graduates to be directly enrolled into the BMC [basic mountaineering course]," Walker said.
Thus far, graduates of Fort Drum's MWC have had a 100-percent success rate, earning their special qualifications identifier "E" -- Military Mountaineer.
Even those who do not make it onto the coveted top-two list will leave the course with vital knowledge that will allow them to be leaders among their peers.
"The last 12 years at war in the mountains of Afghanistan have proven that there will always be a need for a capable light mountain infantry," Walker said. "These skills translate into a force that is better prepared -- whether here in the states or deployed."
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