Anti-terrorism Marines conduct cold weather training in Alaska
Submitted by: Marine Forces Atlantic
Story Identification #: 2002429132124
Story by Lance Cpl. Lameen Witter



FORT RICHARDSON, ANCHORAGE, Alaska (April 18, 2002) -- The Marines of 1st Platoon, 1st Fleet Anti-terrorist Security Team (FAST) Company, have arrived in Alaska, for cold-weather training in preparation for Exercise Northern Edge 2002.

The platoon departed Elmendorf Air Base, Elmendorf, Alaska by bus and arrived here for land navigation training, today.

The Marines had to hike uphill over two miles to the land navigation course starting point since their bus was unable to make it up an ice-covered hill near the airport.
Split into teams of four, the Marines were given four points per team to locate on the land navigation course. Each team had a difficult time negotiating the course, because of the snowy terrain. Every Marine hauled a weapon and a pack, but only one person per team wore snowshoes, while the others wore goulashes or snow boots. Due to the lack of snowshoes available to the Marines, the Marines in each team fitted with snowshoes had to stomp a path through the waist-deep snow for other team members.

"It was the first time I had ever walked cross-country in deep snow like that. We usually don't get snow like that in Michigan," said Saginaw, Mich. native Lance Cpl. Aaron D. Henning. "The snow really hampered our land navigation, because you couldn't tell where there was a hole, dip, or drop in the terrain. What would normally take 10 minutes in the spring or summer to find a point, took us hours."

Cpl. Michael F. Bailey said the transportation difficulties didn't make him nervous about the mission at all.

"I thought that the bus not being able to go up the hill was a sign that it was going to be a little rough. However, it was just a matter of adapting and overcoming, because we've been in colder weather before, even though the snow and ice was something new to us," said Bailey, from Bellechasse, Louisiana.

Even with the lack of equipment and the Marines' inability to reach all the points plotted for navigation, Capt. Justin W. Dyal, commanding officer of 1st platoon, 1st FAST, said his Marines accomplished their mission of learning.

"I wanted the Marines to encounter challenging mountain terrain in cold weather. They got a good taste of the cold weather and learned some things to do and not to do," said Dyal, of Jacksonville, Fla. "The main thing I wanted was the Marines to adapt to the environment and operate, which they did."

The Marines' cold weather training makes up the first of the three phases of the deployment's training plan. The second phase places the Marines in an exercise called Northern Edge '02, which will include a simulated war. The Marines will deploy to Valdez, Alaska for the nine-day, joint service exercise. First FAST Company's mission during Northern Edge will be to conduct harbor security in a foreign country. The exercise simulates the U.S. support to one of two countries at war with each other. The third phase of training is an operational readiness evaluation.

Sgt. Emmanuel G. Anglade said he's excited about the cold training.

"I hope my Marines get a good feel for the cold weather and a little knowledge of how to take care of themselves out there," said Anglade, of Brooklyn, N.Y. "I'm looking forward to it. I've flown through Alaska, but never trained here before."

For PFC Eric C. Sheffield, who has been with 1st FAST for five months, this deployment is exciting.

"All of our training has been local. We've never been out of state," said Sheffield, of Orlando, Fla. "So, I'm glad to be doing something, but not that glad about the cold."

Even though the cold environment is a first for almost all the Marines of 1st platoon, it's still just another day of training for them.

"Anytime we do something like this, we just hope to get more training under our belt and add to our capabilities," said Sheffield.