Arctic Warfare Instructor Course

by LMA B Grisdale, Medical Reception Station

With wind chill temperatures reaching a low of -32 degrees Celsius, 30 aspiring Arctic Warfare Instructors (AWIs) were recently given an insight into the harsh realities of operating in northern Norway.

The course comprises four weeks: the first two spent at a local ski resort in Malselv and the latter two in various harbour locations on the training area, in both tactical and non-tactical conditions. The students began by revising their skiing techniques previously taught on their Cold Weather Warfare Course (CWWC), before demonstrating their ability to deliver lessons on skills such as using cookers and snowshoes and pulk packing. Throughout the course, students received detailed feedback from experienced Mountain Leaders (MLs) and ski instructors, giving them the opportunity to enhance their teaching skills to account for a wide range of learning styles.

The AWIC receive skiing instruction at Malselv

The next phase focuses on the perfection of a range of skiing techniques, which the students must not only demonstrate themselves, but also teach to their peers. This is part of their Basic Ski Instructor (BSI) qualification, which will be essential when they are supervising their own tent groups on future environmental courses.

During the third week, the students began the field aspect of their qualification, deploying into more remote parts of the Troms region. This began with a lengthy insertion before establishing their first harbour. The course was required to sleep in four-man tents with the temperature sat at around -27 degrees Celsius. The course also participated in a number of lessons such as noise and light discipline, camouflage and concealment and how to select and occupy a tactical harbour.