Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School announces course dates

By Dave Chace, SWCS Public Affairs OfficeMay 21, 2012

Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School announces course dates
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course student scales a cliff during a course exercise in Estes Park, Colo. The six-week course is conducted three times a year, each summer, through the Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations Course, based... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School announces course dates
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course students attend a climbing techniques class before conducting a practical exercise in Estes Park, Colo. Course instructors are assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airbo... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School announces course dates
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course student conducts a practical hands-on exercise during the six-week course in Estes Park, Colo. The course is offered three times each summer; graduates are qualified to attend the four-week Master Mountai... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (May 21, 2012) -- The Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., is filling its classes of the Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course throughout the summer of 2012. The school trains special-operations personnel to survive in and move through mountainous terrain during military operations.

Part of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, the SFAMOS is also known as A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne).

The school will run three iterations of the Senior Mountaineering Course in 2012. The first, which is currently in progress, is scheduled to graduate June 8.

The course is scheduled to run two more times, from July 23 thru Aug. 30, and Sept. 10 thru Oct. 19. This course is open to all special-operations personnel with mountaineering requirements within the U.S. Special Operations Command. Additionally, personnel in civilian government agencies with similar requirements may attend.

The six-week Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course includes tactical mountain operations, field-craft training, horsemanship, animal packing instructions, equipment maintenance, high-alpine medical considerations and medical emergencies, weather forecasting, belaying techniques, casualty extraction, nighttime mountain operations, equipment hauling and the construction of improvised climbing equipment.

Graduates will have the ability to serve as their unit's subject-matter expert in tactical military operations in mountainous terrain, lead untrained and indigenous forces over mountainous terrain, conduct pack-animal operations and have the ability to certify basic mountaineers for attendance to future iterations of the Senior course.

Additionally, Senior course graduates are qualified to attend the Special Forces Master Mountaineering Course, a four-week course held once each year, which integrates tactical-mountain operations in a winter environment. The next Master course is scheduled to run in February 2013.

Both courses are designed to host up to 22 students.

Special Forces units interested in sending personnel to the course should contact the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) G-3 office. Other interested personnel, or for more information, may contact the SFAMOS directly at (719) 524-1654.

Related Links:

Army.mil: Inside the Army News

Learn about U.S. Army Special Forces

U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School

U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Academic Handbook

U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Facebook