JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. - Panting and heaving from the exertion of hauling their gear up the mountain for more than a mile, Soldiers commenced setting up tents between two immense, snow-covered peaks.
Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain), Vermont National Guard Soldiers, conducted mountaineering training Sunday at Smuggler's Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont.
"We are going to be practicing a lot of mountaineering over the next day and a half," said Spc. Gavin Wageman, an infantryman in A/3-172nd INF. "As of right now we just packed up our sleds with tents, stoves, equipment, climbing gear, rope and hauled it up in squads, all the way up the mountain here."
The unit's focus during the winter has been on mountaineering skills. Alpha Company is part of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain). The 86th IBCT (MTN) is the only mountain brigade in the Army.
Their commander, Capt. Nathan Fry, told his Soldiers at the very beginning that he wanted to get back to the mountaineering skills and he has stuck to his word, said Wageman.
Honoring his word, the A 3/172nd INF commander has had the company practicing many different techniques.
"We've been hitting a lot of mountain techniques," said 1st Lt. Adam Cavoli, ther executive officer. "We're just trying to get that good individual base for the Soldiers, so that we can build up to bigger and better things in the future."
The unit performed ice wall climbs and mountain movement techniques.
"We're conducting mountaineering training where we set up a fixed rope and climb up using ice climbing techniques then move along a path set up in Smuggler's Notch," Cavoli said. The training ensures that the company is ready for mountain missions.
They are the ones who are going to be called when it comes to fighting in the mountains because this is their craft that they have learned and practiced, said Wageman.
The drilling has done more than increase their skill; it has helped build confidence and unit cohesion.
"It's very good for the Soldiers; it helps them be more confident in their equipment, helps build teamwork because they're all working together," said Cavoli.
Training to be proficient in all the techniques means that they devote all their time to mastering their Soldier tasks.
"No wasted time," said Wageman. "Even if there is downtime you have classroom training, you're going out doing land navigation, going over tying knots, setting up your harnesses, setting up tents, practicing fire maneuver patrols, everything. The second you make it to drill, you hit the ground running."
Some of that time is devoted to training for the cold weather that presents an additional challenge for the Soldiers.
"It's just finding these new problems and building on good ways to fix them," said Cavoli.
Despite all their hard work, the Soldiers' morale is high. They're all having a good time and walking away with smiles on their faces.
"As long as the Soldiers are smiling, but tired at the end of the drill, they had a good time," said Cavoli.