Not many people willingly trek out to face blistering winds and sub-zero temperatures. But for the Soldiers of B Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry, their training experience in the frozen tundra is just another part of serving in the Alaska Army National Guard.
The Soldiers arrived at the Bethel Armory in Bethel, Alaska, on Jan. 18, and immediately began their cold weather survival training by setting up three arctic 10-man tents, which they would sleep in later that evening.
They practiced digging stakes into hard, frozen ground and utilized winter field gear to stay warm throughout the training.
“I don’t know of any environment to better train small unit tactics and accountability than in an arctic environment,” said LTC Jeffrey Roberts, battalion commander of the 297th Infantry. “It really forces team leaders and squad leaders to pay attention to their Soldiers to make sure they’re doing the right thing. If they aren’t, they can get frostbite really quickly.
“Weapons can freeze, their equipment can malfunction, they can go hungry and, given the slippery and dangerous conditions out there, they can get themselves hurt. It really forces small unit leaders to focus on their tasks, focus on Soldier safety and tactical safety. Those skills are very translatable to any other environment, whether it’s hot or cold weather.”
After successfully staging the arctic tents, Soldiers trained on snow machines and tactical skis as a means of transportation across the frozen tundra.
The training coincided with the Alaska National Guard’s participation in the Kuskokwim 300 dog race Jan. 19–21 in Bethel. SSG Thomas Carl, an infantryman with the 297th Infantry, represented the Alaska National Guard in the race for the first time. “There’s no feeling that’s close to running the dogs. I love it,” SSG Carl said. “The most important thing for me is to start and finish with all the dogs I came with, and to avoid any injuries.”
CPT Vance Johnson, commander of B Company, 297th Infantry, said SSG Carl’s presence in the race “is an awesome way to get visibility for the Guard in the local community. It’s great to see one of our guys compete.”
About a dozen Soldiers from the 297th Infantry loaded their gear into two small unit support vehicles and converged on the Kuskokwim River Jan. 19 for the four-hour drive to the Tuluksak checkpoint for the race. During the winter months in western Alaska, the rivers are used as a road system. The ice is so thick that a one-ton tracked military vehicle with personnel can traverse easily on the river.
At the Bethel checkpoint, Soldiers picked the smooth ice into a more jagged terrain to make it easier to walk on for the mushers. They also layered straw over the ice and brought hot water to revitalize the dogs and give them a place to rest.
“It’s always great to have some able bodies willing to help us out,” said Jen Peeks, a Bethel resident who works for the Alaska Fish and Game Department and volunteered to help run the checkpoint. “We’re so happy to have these guys here.”
The Alaska Guard was proud to provide support for the event.
“We are a very visible presence to the community, so when the community gets to see Soldiers training in and around the town, that raises public awareness of what the Guard does,” LTC Roberts said of the unit’s participation in cold weather training and the Kuskokwim 300. “It helps with recruiting as well.”
BY SGT Seth Lacount, Alaska National Guard
