Mountain Warfare Small Units Leader Course (MW SULC) in Poland
The Mobile Education & Training Team (METT) have conducted the first MW SULC pilot course outside Slovenia, in cooperation with the Polish Military University of Land Forces (Academia Wojsk Ladowich – AWL).
A total of 16 participants from five NATO countries – POL, ITA, LTU, SVK, and USA – gathered in order to participate in the MW SULC in Szklarska Poreba in Poland, 6-17 September, 2021.
The aim of this course was to provide mountain light infantry and light infantry platoon company commanders with specific knowledge of movement, survival and planning of operations in mountain terrain.
The course consisted of three parts: theoretical, practical and tactical. The classes were held in person and via VTC by lecturers from 7 different countries. The lectures were strictly linked to mountain warfare to emphasize the commanders’ guidance. SMEs from MW COE and AWL conducted the specific individual mountain training, and presented the SME role in movement with units in mountainous terrain using different techniques (traverse lines, rope bridges, ascending and descending ropes, climbing, use of speleo ladders, via ferrata, land navigation etc.).
During the course, the participants visited the 23rd Mountain Brigade (Bundeswehr) in Bad Rainhenhall in Germany. There, they were familiarized with mountain unit specific equipment, and different means of transport, including trucks and pack animals.
Additionally, the participants completed two courses from the MWCOE e-Learning platform (https://e-learning.mwcoe.org): Basic Mountain Environment Characteristics and Combat Functions in Mountain Warfare.
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