Barksdale EOD participates in Mountain Warfare Training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Airmen in the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight are selected to undergo training at the U.S. Marine Corp Mountain Warfare Training Center.

The mission objective is basic familiarization with mountainous environments.

"All MWT evolutions are designed with a culminating exercise that incorporates overnight operations in mountainous environments and re-enforce all training tasks accomplished throughout the evolution," said Master Sgt. James Martin, EOD Flight superintendent.

To accomplish the training tasks, Airmen must be able to adapt to a dangerous environment and foster a mindset that keeps them focused on the mission.

"In order to enforce proper combat mindset, stress inoculation and desensitization of the fog of war, simulators and pyro-technics will be employed to emulate mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, improvised explosive devices and small arms fire on training sites at other military locations," said Martin.

Tech Sgt. Samuel McCalister, team leader of the 2 CES EOD Flight completed MWT in June.

"MWT prepares Barksdale's EOD Airmen to work in a mountainous environment," he said. "It teaches survival skills, mountain climbing, rappelling, gorge crossing, how to set up shelters, and more. Afghanistan has mountainous regions, so mountain survival training is important in the case we deploy there."

Survival in the elements is important not only for becoming acclimated to the environment, but Airmen must also adapt to high altitudes and train to complete their expeditionary mission.

"Even in June, there was snow on the ground because we were at 8000 feet," said McCalister.

MWT is unforgiving, and the altitude pushes the Airmen to their limits.

"The most difficult trial for me was the long ruck marches and the elevation was the worst part," said McCalister. "The first ruck march we did was 15 kilometers and we went from 6,500 to 9,000 feet and then back to around 8,000 carrying a full assault load with all our supplies."

The team did all this while carrying mission-critical equipment.

"We need sleeping bags, water, food, water purification pumps, first aid kits and rifles among other things," said McCalister. "We'd also use items specific to EOD like hook-and-line kits and simulated explosives."

Senior Airman Jason Ostberg, EOD technician, is scheduled to participate this training.

"I'm looking forward to learning how I'll adapt to using all my gear and seeing how my body is going to handle the elevation," he said. "I want to learn as much as I can from this training."

With experience garnered in MWT, Barksdale's EOD Airmen can be prepared to face the mountainous regions of Afghanistan with confidence.