Each Army unit  usually carries with it a  motto or song that describes what it does, what it is proud of, and what makes it unique. This is especially true where I work in Alaska. We are "Arctic Warriors".  Many years ago my colleague Chief Warrant Officer 5 Aaron Graff penned this simple march, Keepers of the Northern Watch. It's words ring with each of us everyday and the song is song by all of your Arctic Warriors at the conclusion of all of our ceremonies  directly before the Army Song.

We conquer the mountains and the valleys
We train in the winter’s bitter cold!
Alaska Soldiers! Arctic Warriors!
Sentries of the North!
So pick up your weapons and your snowshoes!
We’re ready to fights and to defend
The finest Soldiers! Arctic Warriors!

From the last Frontier!

We are unique warriors in Army Alaska and we have a lot of pride. We even have a special school called the Northern Warfare Training Center here at Fort Wainwright, Alaska established to train us how to work in the harshest of all cold weather environments. Last week, I experienced this first hand as I travelled to the Black Rapids Training Site to spend a bit of time to train in the brutal Alaskan Winter. Consequently, I earned the locally prized, worn,  and earned  "Arctic" Tab after graduating from the Cold Weather Orientation Course.  I took this course because it is the norm for  Army Alaska Leaders. It is our legacy and our common heritage. Even our new General, Brigadier General Raymond Palumbo, attended this course last November.

My class was diverse and a great snapshot of our Army.  We had JAG Lawyers, Medical Professionals, Aviators, Military Intelligence, Combat Arms, and me your Arctic Bandmaster. Each of us take our job as warriors seriously and like the song says we picked up our weapons and snowshoes and went to work.

This class may have not helped us be better bandmasters, pharmacists, medical doctors, lawyers, or aviators but  it has already has made us better leaders.

It has provided me the skills  and experiences to keep my Soldiers safe in this environment and I had to be a part of a greater team to get through this class. 

It was cold; Hot chow was limited and I just couldn't find an MRE with M&Ms;-); pulling the 200 pound Akio sled with our equipment was heavy; traversing the mountain in my snowshoes, full ruck, and weapon was slow going and difficult;  making thermal shelters to survive where you depended on your amazing Army equipment and the ambient temperature of the earth to survive was intense. Our instructors were dedicated and my team was committed to succeed. In the end, my class was successful. No one got frostbite or other cold weather injuries(disqualifiers from the course) and we completed all our assigned tasks.

 It was an amazing Arctic Experience. 

BTW, travel to  https://peosoldier.army.mil/factsheets/SEQ_CIE_ECWCS.pdf to find out what the Army wears in the extreme cold environments.

This is a  picture of my rugged, hardy and very happy 3rd Squad from Cold Weather Orientation Course 11-02 after we received our prized Arctic Tabs at graduation.

Until Next Time...Arctic Warrior, Arctic Tough

CW2 Jeff Price