On February 6th, the Fighting Saints Battalion had their annual Winter Survival Training Lab at SJU. The cadets were broken up into small groups and rotated through different stations, each of which focused on a different winter skill. One of the stations, which took place on Lake Sagatagan, was focused on ice fishing with fishing lines and also with spears. Some of the cadets were lucky enough to catch some fish while they were at this station, including a northern! There was a station dedicated to building fires where the cadets were put into pairs or groups of three and they competed in building the best fires with only a small amount of supplies. Cadets enjoy these friendly competitions because they can fine tune their skills while also challenging themselves and their peers. They were also challenged in creating the best winter shelter using a single tarp and one rope. This task really tested the cadets’ creative abilities which is a fun change in thinking for them. On the small hill near the Prep School, the cadets were practicing how to use cross country skis as well as snowshoes. Some cadets had done these tasks before but never in their military uniform, making it slightly harder since they did not have the special shoes. MSIV cadets set up a small race for the cadets on the skis to go from one end of the open field to the other, giving the winning cadet bragging rights over their peers. There was one last station that focused on different techniques for tying knots, a skill that is helpful outside of the winter survival training as well. Rotating through all of these stations is so much fun for the cadets but it is also so beneficial. Having this training will benefit their careers as officers if they ever need to train their soldiers in these tasks, but it also benefits their personal life because all of these events are applicable to the region in which they live. By the end of the night, cadets were already making plans with each other to go ice fishing again!
Cadets holding the northern that they caught while at the ice fishing station!
Cadets practicing their uphill climb in their cross-country skis.
MSIV cadet helping a MSII cadet put on their snowshoes correctly so that they can practice walking around with all their gear on.
MSIV cadet demonstrating a proper way to build a fire with limited supplies.