CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - Seventy Air National Guard Airmen trained and conducted mission-essential tasks in extreme cold during the Air National Guard’s Cold Weather Operations Course at Camp Ripley Training Center from Jan. 27 to Feb. 8.
The class mainly included security forces personnel from 37 wings representing 27 states, along with a maintenance group commander, medical personnel, a cyber communications specialist and a public affairs specialist. Two participants and one instructor from the 3rd Canadian Division’s Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, 38th Brigade Group, also attended the course.
In the first phase of the course, participants studied troop movements, risk management, cold weather injury care and specialized equipment use.
For the second phase, students went outdoors to practice moving over snow, Ahkio sled hauling techniques, land navigation and thermal structure building.
The final phase was a six-day, five-night field training exercise where students traversed snow-covered terrain, reacted to leadership challenges, established a patrol base, constructed and slept in thermal or arctic shelters, and provided hypothermia care while enduring Minnesota’s winter weather.
Six teams rucked long distances while pulling Ahkio sleds filled with equipment, then built self-sustaining camps and slept in 10-person arctic tents with a small stove for heat.
Thermal shelters were constructed on the third and fourth nights using only supplies in an Airmen’s pack or found in nature. While some teams created two or three-person “lean-to” or A-frame style thermal structures, others built 10-person shelters to capitalize on body heat. Participants used fire as their only heat source while temperatures dipped below zero and wind gusts reached 30 mph. It also snowed on the days they slept in thermal shelters.
Despite the challenging conditions, most of the class said sleeping in thermal shelters was their favorite part of the field training exercise.
“Students enjoy thermal shelters because it tests their resilience, mental fortitude and newly learned skills,” said Master Sgt. Heath Parks, course planner, 148th Security Forces Squadron. “Sleeping in a thermal shelter in negative temperatures after days of exhausting ruck movements is not for the faint-hearted. Completing multiple nights in extreme field conditions demonstrates our Airmen can do anything they put their minds to.”
The final day of the field training consisted of one last ruck to Lake Farrell. On arrival, teams set up and heated their 10-man arctic tents, then participated in cold-water immersion supervised by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Training and Rescue Station from Duluth.
After immersing in frigid water, one person from each team was transported via Ahkio sled to their arctic shelter to allow teams to conduct thermal rescue techniques and prevent hypothermia.
During the field training, Airmen ate arctic versions of Meals Ready to Eat. Many of the students experienced bumps, bruises and blisters. They were supported by three aerospace medical services technicians from the 148th Fighter Wing.
“Training courses like the CWOC enhance lethality and increase our Airmen’s combat capabilities,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Rios, chief, Air National Guard Security Forces Operations Branch, who participated as a student in the course. “The CWOC allows personnel to employ these skills in extreme weather conditions so they can secure and defend U.S. national interests and support our allies and partners anytime, anywhere, around the world.”