In the Army, it’s expected soldiers will be ready whenever the nation calls, and that means anywhere, anytime and in any conditions.

Through the heat or cold or snow, the 10th Mountain Division recently learned what it takes to truly own their environment just as those who came before them.

“Excited, a little nervous but more excited. Stepping off was just relieving. It was nice, in the moment,” one soldier said as he stepped up to the starting line.

After weeks, even months of preparation, nearly 1,000 10th Mountain Division soldiers began the nine-mile, nearly five-hour trek through the environment of Fort Drum in February. It’s a critical, timed-skills test on both the body and mind.

What You Need To Know

  • Nearly 1,000 10th Mountain Division recently took part in a graded training exercise called the D-Series Winter Challenge

  • The Winter Challenge tests soldiers on their ability to focus under stress and while exhausted as it’s a nine-mile trek with various challenge stations that lasts nearly five hours — in the snow

  • The D-Series refers to a training event in our history, with the 10th Mountain Division training for the mountains of Italy in preparation for World War II

  • The winter challenge honors those soldiers

 

“We knew it was going to be a lot of work coming out here doing it, but the 10th Mountain loves work. We love the cold. We love the snow. We were ready for it,” said Sgt. Eachean Pettis of Fort Drum’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

It’s called the D-Series Winter Challenge, and it tests the division’s soldiers on physical fitness and communication and competitiveness and even the ability to focus while exhausted and under stress.

“I think that was the best part about it was getting out to that stress shoot and seeing my dudes out in a stressful environment and engaging a target,” said Staff Sgt. Bradd Wyatt of the 10th Mountain’s 2nd Brigade.

From the stress shoot and more to simple knot tying, when you’ve walked miles in the snow and are dragging all that equipment, it’s flat out exhausting. It’s a graded test, yes, but it’s also a way for these soldiers to honor those who came before.

D-Series is a reference to a training event 10th Mountain soldiers took part in, back in 1944, to prepare for combat in the mountains of Italy during World War II.

“What we’re doing now pales in comparison. That’s what helps motivate a lot of us, is thinking back to how hard those guys had it back then. How proficient and professional they were. It just motivates you a lot,” Pettis added.

Now you may be saying to yourself, at least Fort Drum’s soldiers are used to these conditions and you may be right. But one of the 10th’s Brigades is actually stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana. So for that team, preparation for the event was a little different.

“You just go into it with a positive attitude. Getting here a little early was nice to just to give us some time to actually play in it,” said Staff Sgt. Alexander Herkovich of the 10th’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, stationed at Fort Polk.

“I think we all get to sit back and get to know that we just owned the environment of Fort Drum and the upstate North Country,” Wyatt added.

As we’ve recently seen in Europe, anything can indeed happen. The 10th Mountain Division could get that call in a moment’s notice.

And after crossing the finish line, soldiers were still not done, as they headed inside for a written aspect of the training, just another way to practice focus in any conditions.