Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 Download
 Details
 Share
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Vermont, Maine Guard Join Common Challenge 23 By 2nd Lt. Daniel Borbely,
                86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (MTN)
 KOLAšIN, Montenegro - The platoon halted on the ridge. A peak lay before them, covered in nearly two meters of snow. The Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 172nd Mountain Infantry Regiment (Mountain), needed to find the safest route across the face and to the summit, seeking to avoid both the enemy and an avalanche. Despite going against tactical movement wisdom, the ridge provided the least risk of getting caught in an avalanche — though the platoon was exposed to observation and biting wind. Led by an Austrian military mountain guide, the platoon began to cross the hundred-meter face one by one, trudging through the snow, before they determined it was impossible. Hampered by fresh snow, harsh winds, and dangerous terrain, the risk was just too high. The platoon leader and mountain guide convened to discuss a new route while the platoon maintained its security posture. A few moments later, the platoon picked up and began retracing its steps, ready to find a new way up the mountain. For two weeks, Vermont and Maine Army National Guards Soldiers joined Montenegrin, Austrian, Italian and North Macedonia partner forces in exercise Common Challenge 2023 in the mountains around Kolašin, Montenegro. Common Challenge 23 focused on multinational interoperability in mountain warfare. A squad of Soldiers from 3rd Battalion integrated with a Montenegrin squad to form a multinational platoon led by 1st Lt. Zachary Dalrymple and Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Nadeau, both from Bravo Company from Maine. To prepare for the field exercise, each country came together to train on mobility, survival skills and tactics in alpine environments. Avalanche rescue was emphasized, with the Austrian mountain guides training partner forces on how to use avalanche beacons and search procedures. For many Mountain Battalion Soldiers, this was the first training event where avalanches posed a serious threat. “Most of us only had what I’d call Vermont mountain skills,” said Sgt. Andrew Barton, a scout from the 3rd Battalion Headquarters Headquarters Company from Vermont who served with the platoon. “[We] did things for the first time in a military application and had to ... adapt or get left behind.” And adapt they did. At the end of the exercise, their counterparts commended them for being flexible and quick learners. The Mountain Soldiers stepped off into the highlands and built snow shelters to bivouac in for the first night of the field exercise. Sgt. Sam Rathbun, the senior medic from Alpha Company and acting platoon medic for the exercise, said the environment complicated every aspect of their training. “Prioritizing warming up and time for checks on all the guys was also not an easy task, but ... we worked through it and came out the other side ready to fight.” The exercise allowed Soldiers to work with their State Partnership Program partners and build relationships between their units. Maine is the state partner of Montenegro, and Vermont has been the state partner with North Macedonia since 1993 and with the Republic of Austria since 2021. In addition to the Soldiers serving within the platoon, several Vermont Guardsmen filled staff and exercise control positions. Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Bates and Sgt. Nicholas Chegwidden, both from HHC, 3-172 IN (MTN), served on the exercise’s mountain rescue team, always ready to evacuate wounded Soldiers or respond to any emergencies throughout the training area. The two were selected for the mountain rescue team based on their experience; Bates is a seasoned veteran of the Mountain Battalion and avid outdoorsman, and Chegwidden is a ski patroller and medic. They “fell in with the Austrians smoothly and ... worked well together,” Bates said, adding that the experienced Austrians welcomed them to the team. Fortunately, there were only minor training injuries; no disasters occurred, though the two got plenty of experience skijoring (being pulled by a snowmobile while on skis), conducting snowpack analysis, and hoisting casualties out of rough terrain with a helicopter — something neither had too much experience with but are eager to practice with the Mountain Battalion. After several days of practicing maneuvering across deep snow and navigating the mountains, the multinational company began the exercise’s final phase, culminating with a company attack. The platoons ascended the mountain on ski and snowshoe, moving toward their enemy combatants. As the American and Montenegrin platoon neared its objective, 1st Lt. Dalrymple ordered his two squads to begin bounding through the trees. The American squad, on the platoon’s right side, made contact first. The Mountain Soldiers reacted well, returning fire and seeking cover. One Soldier threw a smoke grenade to screen the other squad’s movement in the woodline. To the east, the sounds of a battle could be heard — another platoon had engaged its objective. The platoon closed on the opposing force’s machine gun nest and knocked it out. While Sgt. 1st. Class Nadeau and Sgt. Rathbun established a casualty collection point, the team leaders began establishing security around the objective, covering avenues of approach and checking on their Soldiers. After linking up with the rest of the company, the exercise ended and the Soldiers made their way down the mountain. This was the second Balkan exercise for many of the Bravo Company Soldiers, who had joined Alpha Company during exercise Swift Response 2022 in North Macedonia. Still, the cold and the snow presented significant challenges. “I think there’s something to be said about how you as a Soldier must adapt to the environment,” Rathbun said. “[It] will always win, so adapting is your best way to sustain lethality.” The Mountain Soldiers consider this another learning experience. “It definitely opened my understanding that this is probably the one area that [we] could be considered outclassed by our allies,” Barton noted. Many finished the exercise with ideas for future training in Vermont and Maine and a desire to bring more “mountain” back to the Mountain Battalion.
 SHARE
 PRINT
  Vermont National Guard
 Maine National Guard
 State Partnership Program
 Austria
 north macedonia
 Montenegro
 mountain warfare
 
 New York, Connecticut Soldiers are Regional Best Warriors
 By Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Pietrantoni,
  Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School
 By Sgt. Denis Nunez,
  New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa
 By Eric Durr,
  More
 Tennessee Guard Rescues Hiker in Great Smoky Mountains Park Guard News • yesterday
 Champions Repeat at NH National Guard Marksmanship Match Guard News • 2 days ago
 West Virginia Air National Guard Wing Conducts ’Super Drill’ Guard News • 3 days ago
 Idaho Medical Airmen Train in Field to Boost Readiness Guard News • 3 days ago
 Alaska Air National Guard rescues 6 plane crash victims Guard News • 3 days ago
 2024 (189)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil