One day during Arctic Eagle, the temperature was 37 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. CPT Gray said Soldiers needed to keep a close eye on one another for signs of frost bite, exposure and exhaustion. On this day, Soldiers had the challenge of finding the line between being tough and being smart – between enduring the cold to get the mission done and occasionally ducking into the tent to get warm.
One night, Soldiers from Wyoming huddled in their 10-man squad tent around a burning stove, trying to keep warm. It was their fifth night sleeping in the tent. The stove worked well. Perhaps it worked too well, as soon two inches of standing water inside the tent resulted from the melting of the snow and ice on the ground. They had to fix that problem, and quickly. Could these Soldiers exhibit critical thinking and problem-solving skills under duress?
SGT Taylor Tobar came up with an idea. They would use their e-tools to dig trenches, and the water would drain out through them. The Soldiers quickly got to work, and the water seeped out within minutes.
The next day, the Soldiers in every other tent in Charlie Company stole the idea. As some Soldiers dug trenches, others hiked to the surrounding woods to cut branches to lay on the ground. The branches absorbed moisture, insulated the tents and provided cushion against the rock-hard ice.
SSG Donald Larkin and SGT Nick Haller arrived pulling an Ahkio sled overflowing with branches. They never got the chance to unload, as seemingly the entire unit made a surprise attack to pilfer the branches – tackling and wrestling each other, trying to escape with the desperately needed contraband.
Like SPC Nietert smiling through his post-holing, the Soldiers ignored the difficult circumstances to get the most out of a truly unique training opportunity. They kept a sense of humor and had a little fun in the process.
