Fighting Saints Alumni/ae,
My name is Megan Redalen and I am a biochemistry major, political science minor, senior/MSIV this year at the College of Saint Benedict. This semester I’m the Fighting Saints Battalion’s S5 shop head. My job is to take lots of pictures, run the social media accounts, and submit all of the blog posts!
FSB Cadets have continued to stay busy over the past couple of weeks. Although the weather has been in the negatives for nearly the past two weeks, our MSIs, MSIIs, and MSIIIs haven’t stopped training. Luckily, the weather lined up perfectly with our cold weather survival labs! Some training events that FSB Cadets have completed this month include: weapons familiarization, winter survival training, and our renowned cold weather lab.
On 4FEB21, FSB Cadets arrived at the Saint Cloud National Guard Armory for weapons familiarization training. Upon arrival, Cadets were distributed into five groups. Five rotations in separate parts of the Armory were established, each with a different focus: (1) M240B/M249, (2) M4, (3) M9, (4) M2, and (5) the new BRM standards. All Cadets received a short instructional class before getting twenty minutes of hands-on training (assembly/disassembly, clearing, & performing a functions check) at each of the five rotations. We’re really grateful that the Saint Cloud Armory allowed our Cadets to get such great training at their facility. This is usually a lab that really excites a lot of Cadets; it’s not every day you get to put your hands on an M2! On 04FEB21, FSB Cadets attended a winter survival training lab inside of SJU’s Pellegrene Auditorium. The Cadets first heard a brief about ice safety. They learned how to know when the ice is thick enough, as well as how to get out of an ice hole in an emergency. The Cadets then heard an ECWCS brief presented by two FSB Cadets that have graduated from the CWOT course at Fort McCoy. The main purpose of this was to ensure that at future labs, Cadets would know how to use their cold weather clothing to maximize warmth in extreme cold weather conditions.
Last week, on 18FEB21, FSB Cadets got to put all of their cold weather training to the test (it was 10℉!). FSB has executed a cold weather lab on Lake Sagatagan for as long as I’ve been in the program. It’s always been a fun lab and helps everyone regroup before getting back into outdoor STX lanes. FSB Cadets arrived at Lake Sagatagan, received a safety brief, and were then split into four groups. The four groups rotated in thirty-minute intervals to each of the following four stations: (1) hypothermia response training, (2) ice fishing basics, (3) snowshoe practice, and (4) basics of the 10-person tent. At a couple of the stations, the Cadets even participated in group competitions and drank a cup of hot cocoa (necessary!). Needless to say, we are staying busy! The next couple of weeks will consist of a recon lab, ambush lab, and 12-mile ruck. I hope you are all staying healthy, safe, and warm. In case you need a little pick-me-up, here is a link to the very best cinnamon rolls you will ever eat: https://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/homemade-cinnamon-rolls/
Armor of Light!
