An Cosantóir

Instructor Comments | 13 Lt Col Luciauo Fieschi (33 years' service: Swiss Mountain Rescue) "There are two main benefits of the PfP Combined Winter Mountaineering course. First is the technical training from different military mountaineering units. As instructors we find we learn as much from the students as they do from us. Second is the human element. These courses bring together troops from all over the world to work together with the same goals. This sharing of knowledge and experience is one of the main key elements to PfP courses." Lt Daniel Schliefsteiner (23 years' service: IFMGA mountain guide) "The PfP courses have a very good atmosphere compared to other courses. From my experience as a civilian mountain guide, I find working with soldiers is different to working with civilians. Soldiers have a different attitude and motivation to reaching the goals and objectives of the course that they are on. They are fully committed to the course and give it 100%." Cpl Arno Caprez (10 years' service: mountaineering instructor) "The course gives the students lots of practical training in the mountains. Every day they are putting theory into action, so progression levels on the course are rapid. The course may not be perfect for everyone, but it has well-experienced instructors and the students have a good opportunity to ask as many questions as possible and progress their alpine mountaineering skills." tant task in assessing avalanche risk. An area roughly two metres squared is dug into the snow, to ground depth if possible, temperatures are taken, and the shape and consistency of the snowflakes are measured. This information is then sent to the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos Dorf, which analyses avalanche risk and issues daily avalanche bulletins for the benefit of tourists and the general public. The Institute also relies on qualified civilian mountain guides to forward information and also information from robotic stations situated throughout the country. In the final week of the course we were based in a military bunker in the mountains from where the class set off on expeditions that included learning how to build snow holes and how to survive sleeping in the snow overnight. At the end of the four weeks everyone who had passed all the requirements of the course received a diploma in Winter Mountain Training, issued by the Swiss Military Mountaineering Service Centre. The course has two main benefits: first, extending the knowledge and experience of mountaineering throughout different international military organisations, and, second, spreading comradeship and kinship between the participating military personnel. Pte Pascal Vendrame (7 years' service: skiing and mountaineering instructor) "A lot of the soldiers on these courses come from countries that don't have extreme mountains like the Swiss Alps. This course introduces them to different terrain, teaches them how to deal with extreme cold, and how to survive in snow conditions overnight. They also learn how to work in rescue teams, both as a participant and leader, so the course has lots of benefits, from teamwork to survival skills." Pte Silvan John Roth (3 years' service: skiing and rock-climbing instructor) "It's rewarding to spend time in the mountains with international students. As Geb Spez we are not only teaching, but also learning from the students. Whether its technical climbing skills or survival skills, each country seems to have different techniques and methods to share on the course." www.military.ie the defence forces magazine

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