Finnish Soldiers Train NATO Allies in Winter Survival Skills
In Lapland, northern Finland, where temperatures regularly drop below -20 degrees Celsius, instructors from the Finnish Defence Forces’ Jaeger Brigade is running a winter warfare course for military personnel from USA, Canada, France and Great Britain.
Skills required in winter circumstances is regularly exercised at the Jaeger Brigade in Finnish Lapland. This week, the Winter Combat Course runs from 4 to 17 January.
In addition to Finnish soldiers, 12 foreign soldiers from the USA, Canada, France and Great Britain is taking part in the course.
In a press release from NATO Mulitmedia, emphasis is placed on the ability to face extreme weather conditions as a crucial skill to have for NATO troops, particularly in a cold weather environment.
Harsh conditions
"Training helps soldiers who have never had the chance to endure such harsh conditions to get acquainted with the environment, understand and overcome the challenges it poses, and get familiar with it, so they can enhance their ability to defend the Alliance’s territory in all climate conditions, should the need arise".
In the video, you can see soldiers plunging into the icy water wearing full gear. Then having to pull them selves back up using their ski poles.
Your snot freezes, your sweat freezes. It is not a good time.
"Our task is to come out here to learn from those who know best what the Arctic Circle is like, so that we can better train our forces", says SSG Christopher Koehler in the US Air Force.
The effect of winter
The Jaeger Brigade’s Arctic training team teach the soldiers personal survival skills, combat techniques and methods to maintaining combat capability required in winter circumstances.
The goal is to make the NATO troops understand the effect of winter conditions on a unit’s performance capability, combat techniques, and the way of conducting combat tasks.
Like the relevance of clothing, hydration, rest and nutrition for the maintenance of combat capability in winter conditions and how to take these aspects into account in different situations.
"This environment can be deadly, especially if it is this cold and you have to stay outside for a long period of time", says Maj Mikael Aikio, Chief of the Arctic Section in the Finnish Defense Forces.
The Winter Combat Course is part of the Finnish Army’s international education and training co-operation that develops winter combat skills for the defense needs of the NATO alliance and its member countries.
