APRIL 4, 2022 – For the primary time, a traditional U.S. Army Nationwide Guard unit skilled with Royal Saudi Land Forces Special Forces instructors on the Royal Saudi Land Forces Mountain Warfare Faculty in Saudi Arabia.
Throughout a number of weeklong coaching iterations in October and November, roughly 70 Activity Drive Avalanche Troopers from third Battalion, 172 Infantry (Mountain), and 30 RSLF Troopers sharpened their mountain warfare expertise.
Maj. Garion Ford, Activity Drive Avalanche’s operation officer, stated coaching included mountain casualty evacuation, fastened rope and cliff traverse, rappelling, and tactical state of affairs coaching.
Throughout the workout routines, Troopers of each nations absolutely built-in.
“The coaching was unbelievable on each side, and we stationed three linguists on the RSLF Mountain Warfare Faculty to construct rapport with our hosts,” Ford stated. “Our linguists did wonderful work and even participated within the coaching.”
Ford credited Capt. Robert Dorey, the duty pressure’s liaison, and lead climb chief Sgt. 1st Class William Thibeault for his or her efforts in the course of the coaching. “Their means to develop relationships with our hosts helped with this being the primary time a traditional U.S. unit had skilled in live performance with the RSLF SF at their faculty,” he stated.
The Troopers of Activity Drive Avalanche loved the coaching.
“It was hands-down an incredible expertise to coach with the Saudi Arabian pressure and see how they do their coaching,” stated Workers Sgt. Alan Bouffard, multichannel transmission techniques operator-maintainer, HHC 3-172 IN (MTN). “In addition they bought to see how we do issues, and coaching collectively was one of many highlights of my deployment.”
Whereas the coaching came about on the mountain faculty, Ford stated Activity Drive Avalanche Troopers supplied recommendation on mountain methods requiring much less tools that was simpler to make use of.
“We attempt to carry little or no specialised tools and what we do carry ought to have a couple of perform to chop down on weight carried by Troopers,” Ford stated.
This coaching was additionally useful for U.S. Army Troopers who had not been to the Vermont mountain warfare faculty but.
“This was an excellent expertise to study these expertise earlier than attending our Mountain Warfare Faculty in Jericho,” stated Bouffard. “I’ve wished to attend the course in Vermont for some time, and doing this right here will probably be a profit after I can attend sooner or later.”
Ford stated the preliminary coaching on the mountain faculty leads the way in which for follow-on models to proceed constructing relationships with RSLF Troopers.
“This coaching occasion showcased our folks as Soldier diplomats constructing and strengthening the ties between america and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” stated Ford.” “It was an excellent coaching cycle to refresh our mountain expertise.”
By Joshua Cohen, Joint Drive Headquarters
Vermont Nationwide Guard Public Affairs
