The basic mountaineering course in favor of two reconnaissance platoons of the 173rd paratrooper brigade of the United States Army was completed in recent days.
Started on May 31, the course was the first in a series of training events that will involve the Italian Army Alpine troops and the US paratroopers in the coming months to reach the final goal of an exercise to be conducted jointly, aimed at verifying the ability to move and combat in mountain terrain, to perform the tactical tasks of light mountain infantry in rough summer terrain
31 students from two reconnaissance platoons of two distinct paratrooper battalions of the 173rd US airborne brigade stationed in Vicenza.
The task of training American personnel was fulfilled by the Alpine Training Center, in particular from the 6th Alpine regiment, with instructors also coming from other departments of the Army.
During the particular training moment, which usually has the training objective of providing students with the skills to know and apply the notions of "climbing", the skills of the trained platoons were taken into account and therefore didactic elements from "first of consortium ”, or rather objectives to lead the ascent personally on easy terrain as well as apply the skills to tackle mountaineering itineraries characterized by long developments, medium difficulty and strong exposure to verticality.
From the logistical training base of the "Tridentina" command and tactical support department, where the theoretical lessons were held, the students were able to reach the most evocative cliffs and the most beautiful rock walls of the Sella, Lagazuoi and Falzarego towers. and the splendid area of the Cinque Torri.
At the end of the course and to underline the training skills that the personnel of the Alpine Army Troops can provide in terms of "verticality", the instructors, with the ropes of students struggling with the first multi-pitch climb, made a route of about 200 meters, six pitches of rope, of maximum difficulty V + UIAA (on the scale of climbing difficulties), which took the name of “173rdBDE” in honor of the American students and their commitment.
On the occasion of the final ceremony, Major General Michele Risi, commander of the division Tridentine and deputy commander of the Alpine Troops, in congratulating the students, he presented them with the “Basic Mountaineer Summer” diploma and honored the first classified with an ice ax, a symbol of mountaineering and the value of the result achieved.
