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How prepared are the US forces for a Winter War?

It is apparent that unless substantially improved intelligence on Al Qaida's mountain bunkers is obtained, probably from former members of the Taliban, then the United states will be faced with a prolonged winter campaign at high altitude and in the severest terrain. How well prepared are US troops to fight during Afghanistan's severe winter?  The Vermont Army National Guard maintains the Army Mountain Warfare School at the Ethan Allen Firing Range at Jericho where it trains several hundred soldiers including a number from the Green Berets and Rangers, a year in cold-weather operations. And specifically in highly mobile mountain warfare, according to Lt. Col. Terry Lambert, the school commander.

Mountaineer training is a gruelling two-week course with 15-hour days where soldiers learn to use adverse mountainous terrain and weather conditions to their advantage.  "We train soldiers to be able to take care of themselves and prevent cold-weather injuries, while maintaining the ability to contribute to the mission," said Army spokesman Col. Tom Begines. "Historically many casualties are not from enemy fire, but from the cold weather." The two-week course is held in the summer and winter; each season has a different curriculum. The training held in the summer course includes cliff evacuation, mountain river crossing and balance climbing. During winter training the instruction goes over the effects of cold weather on weapons, avalanche hazards and rescue, glacial movement operations and bivouac considerations.

The 10th Mountain Light Division based at Fort Drum, New York and the Mountain Warfare School work together closely with soldiers from the division training with the school annually "When the school first opened in 1983, most of our first students were from the 10th Mountain Division, and we have a fantastic ongoing relationship," said Col. Gary Varney, deputy chief of staff for operations at the Mountain Warfare School. At least two battalions of the 10th are currently serving in Uzbekistan “Whatever soldiers have been deployed," noted Begines, “they have been very well trained for whatever missions and whatever environment they're in."

The U.S. Army also has a Northern Warfare Training Centre at Fort Greely, Alaska. There a three week course provides further training in the skills required for survival, movement and the conduct of military operations in mountainous terrain and cold regions. Emphasis is also placed on basic military mountaineering skills.

USMC and mountain warfare

Over 1000 US Marines from the 15th Expeditionary Unit have now been moved onto an airfield near Kandahar and while normally associated with amphibious operations the US Marine Corps does have considerable expertise in cold weather combat. The Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Centre was established some 21 miles northwest of Bridgeport, California on 46,000 acres of the Toiyabe National Forest in 1951. Under an agreement with the US Forest Service the USMC uses this inhospitable area to train US and International military personnel in mountain and cold weather combat operations. The centre, now considered the premier US training establishment for mountain warfare is located at over 6,700ft while some of the exercise areas have elevations in excess of 11,400ft. The winter storms common in this region of the Rocky Mountains can deposit as much as 4ft of snow in as little as 12 hours, while temperatures can fall to -20 degrees fahrenheit.

While the United States does have a considerable number of 'lightfighters' such as the 10th Mountain Division or the 25th Tropical Division in Hawaii, large numbers of Special Forces from the Green Berets, 75th Rangers, Delta Force and the SEALs, and indeed elite combat units like the US marines, the numbers of fully trained specialist mountain warfare troops is still relatively small.

However, the quality of training is good and the motivation of these fighting men is undoubtedly high. It will need to be, for if sufficient of the Taliban and Al Qaida have reached their mountain hideouts and decide to fight it out, the campaign could yet cost the Americans dearly in casualties.

Richard M. Bennett
 

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