U.S. Army Troopers from third Battalion, 172 Infantry (Mountain) Headquarters Firm and C Firm, Vermont Nationwide Guard, conduct mountain coaching with Royal Saudi Land Forces on the RSLF Mountain Warfare College in Saudi Arabia. About 70 U.S. Army Troopers attended the coaching in October and November. (Courtesy)
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COLCHESTER, Vt. – For the primary time, a standard U.S. Army Nationwide Guard unit skilled with Royal Saudi Land Forces Special Forces instructors on the Royal Saudi Land Forces Mountain Warfare College in Saudi Arabia.
Throughout a number of weeklong coaching iterations in October and November, roughly 70 Job Power Avalanche Troopers from third Battalion, 172 Infantry (Mountain), and 30 RSLF Troopers sharpened their mountain warfare expertise.
Maj. Garion Ford, Job Power Avalanche’s operation officer, mentioned coaching included mountain casualty evacuation, fastened rope and cliff traverse, rappelling, and tactical state of affairs coaching.
Through the workout routines, Troopers of each nations totally built-in.
“The coaching was improbable on either side, and we stationed three linguists on the RSLF Mountain Warfare College to construct rapport with our hosts,” Ford mentioned. “Our linguists did superb work and even participated within the coaching.”
Ford credited Capt. Robert Dorey, the duty drive’s liaison, and lead climb chief Sgt. 1st Class William Thibeault for his or her efforts through the coaching. “Their means to develop relationships with our hosts helped with this being the primary time a standard U.S. unit had skilled in live performance with the RSLF SF at their faculty,” he mentioned.
The Troopers of Job Power Avalanche loved the coaching.
“It was hands-down an incredible expertise to coach with the Saudi Arabian drive and see how they do their coaching,” mentioned Employees Sgt. Alan Bouffard, multichannel transmission techniques operator-maintainer, HHC 3-172 IN (MTN). “Additionally they received 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 mentioned Job Power 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 mentioned.
This coaching was additionally helpful for U.S. Army Troopers who had not been to the Vermont mountain warfare faculty but.
“This was an incredible expertise to study these expertise earlier than attending our Mountain Warfare College in Jericho,” mentioned 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 mentioned the preliminary coaching on the mountain faculty leads the best way 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 the US and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” mentioned Ford.” “It was an incredible coaching cycle to refresh our mountain expertise.”
