U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School, Vermont

Brian Jones

Brian Jones

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Went up to the Army Mountain Warfare School in Vermont last week for for the International Association of Military Mountain Schools conference (IAMMS) to talk knives. We shot, skiied, and ice-climbed with mountain warfare soldiers from 30 different countries in some seriously cold 20-below-zero conditions. The US School was just made a permanent member of IAMMS. It was a truly amazing experience. ABC Nightline News, as well as all the local stations, showed up to do a story on the it.

Ontario knives gave the commander of the school, Lt. Col. Matt Fitzgerald, a RAT-7 knife with the Mountain Warfare school logo on it, and everyone was blown away by it. Really had a killer reaction to the knife from all the soldiers. The RAT line were the big hit with the soldiers there, and many bought the RAT-7 with partial serrations in particular to take with them on deployment. Edited to add: Onatrio gave all the commanders from each country a RAT-7 with the logo.

It was incredible to really bond and train with all these guys from around the world, and be able to help supply them with the gear they need to stay alive and come home safely. I am going back up in two weeks to bivy out in the mountains and do an intensive 4-day ice-climbing class with them.

At the shooting range Thursday, we shot M60s, M16s, pistols, sniper rifles -- sent about 9000 rounds downrange in about an hour's time.

About the school:
"Mountain Warfare school is at Ethan Allen Firing Range, in Jericho Vermont, by the Vermont National Guard.

"This course is designed to teach/familiarize cadets with mountain operations. It will challenge you both physically and mentally. Training is nonstop, 16 hours per day for 14 days. It tests your physical strength by forcing you to carry a 45-65 pound rucksack for 2-5 miles a day in mountainous terrain and mentally by testing your day and night land navigation skills."

Link to the site:
http://www.benning.army.mil/AMWS/

Yeehaw!

Best,

Brian.
 
most definately.........you are a lucky bastid. Did they give you any time frame for when that is going to air on TV?

Cerberus
 
If you would like to take part in such training and you are not in the Military go down and see your local Army Recruiter and he can Hook you up!
 
Brian, that is very cool. I live a very short distance from the school. I particapated in a training last year on 09/11 with the Mountain unit at the school. It was a joint LEO/MIL MOUT/CQB course. It was very cool to train together and talk tactics, weapons, etc. GREAT training and GREAT men.
 
Vermonster,

Very cool. I agree the morale and the abilities of the troops at the school right down to the mess hall crew and the custodians was outstanding. Each and every person I met had an incredible dedication to what they do, and a natural and sincere respect for each other across the board that one rarely sees in any organization anywhere.

On Thursday, I learned how a properly constructed snow fortification (made only of snow and some with a few ice blocks) can prevent penetration of 9000+ rounds of 7.62 and 5.56 mm and keep an operator safe behind it during mountain warfare. It was pretty wild that plain ol' snow can be used as excellent cover like that. I can't divulge to the curious how it's done, sorry, but it can be done.

Vermonster, drop me a PM and I'll look you up when I get up there next round.

Best,

~Brian.
 
cerberus,

Sorry -- missed your question. It was aired last Thursday, 3/4, the lat night we were on the range. We were all in a room watching it that night.

It was a story on the Vermont Natl Guard, and how they have had the most deployed, and most deaths of any state in the nation during the current war efforts.

I think you can access it on the web at http://www.abc.com

~B.
 
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