CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. - When 70 Airmen from 37 Air National Guard wings participated in a Cold Weather Operations Course, three aerospace medical technicians, or medics, and a physician assistant assigned to the Minnesota National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing were on hand 24/7 to provide mobile medical support.

The two-week course featured classroom academics, outdoor skills practice, and intense field training in Minnesota’s harsh winter conditions.

During the first week of classroom training, medical personnel briefed students on Camp Ripley’s terrain, how to use personal protective gear and the most common injuries in such a course. Medical staff and instructors also provided tips for avoiding cold injury, camp safety, and caring for your feet.

Students then spent six days and five nights rucking, working, living and sleeping outdoors in 10-person arctic tents or shelters made with materials found in nature. Temperatures dipped below zero every night.  

“In an effort to reduce participant injury or failure, we worked closely with the security forces course planner to establish fitness standards for the students,” said Lt. Col. Casey Morris, a physician assistant assigned to the 148th Medical Group.

Master Sgt. Sean Prouty, an aerospace medical specialist assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, supported course participants after attending the inaugural course last year as a student. 

“Knowing what these students are going through helped us prepare for this year’s larger course,” said Prouty. “Last year, medics worked out of a van. This year, we set up a mobile medical unit in a generator-powered, 16-foot enclosed trailer.”

In addition to staffing the mobile medical unit trailer, medics followed students on foot carrying a 40-pound warrior aid and litter kit during all ruck marches.

“Education is critical for training in extreme conditions,” said Master Sgt. Alex Caturia, an aerospace medical specialist assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing. “Nine cases of frostnip, a less severe precursor to frostbite, were identified which were treatable in the mobile medial unit. One case of frostbite was also identified; that student was not allowed to complete the course.”

Students also endured blisters, some severe, and musculoskeletal problems commonly related to rucking long distances in snowshoes carrying packs while harnessed to a 300-pound Ahkio Sled.

Most of the participants were security forces personnel. There were also cybercommunications specialists, a maintenance group commander, a public affairs specialist and medical personnel. All but two students completed the two-week course on Feb. 8.

The Department of Defense’s Arctic Strategy states the Joint Forces should be able to conduct mission-essential tasks in extreme cold.

“If the mission requires us to fight in the Arctic, we must all be ready to brawl … and winning is non-negotiable,” said Col. Brian Cooper, 177th Maintenance Group commander, who completed the course.

“Without question, CWOC is preparing us, in realistic conditions, to be ready for that combat environment, and the medics ensured we spent our time training in the field, as opposed to being sidelined by cold-weather injuries,” said Cooper.