WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Vermont Guard Gets Climbing Gear
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Jericho, Vermont - April 15, 2009
The Vermont National Guard is still waiting to hear about a possible large-scale deployment to Afghanistan. But the expectation is that they will be called up, and the Vermonters will take some brand new equipment with them.
The Vermont Army Guard is getting the gear for the Mountain Battalion, in time to make it count if and when the order comes for a large deployment. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, made the announcement at the Mountain Warfare school in Jericho. "They're training hard, but they also need the equipment to do their job," Welch told reporters, "and do it with as much safety as possibly can be provided in very, very perilous conditions."
Welch said the Vermont congressional delegation succeeded in getting $792,000 included in the federal budget to purchase the mountain climbing equipment. Dangerous conditions are what the Mountain Battalion trains for, and the Vermont Guard has been alerted of a possible deployment to exactly the kind of operations found in Afghanistan.
Each soldier will carry the equipment he needs, and never leave any of it behind. "Something that's referred to (as) clean climbing," Sgt. Maj. Stephen Lunna said. "There's no pitons left in the rock to give away your position, it's all take it with you and when you get to the climbing area you make your climb and everything comes back in your pack. And you leave -- and no one is the wiser."
The Vermonters already are well trained in mountain warfare. The new gear appears to indicate that a deployment of 1,800 men looks more likely than not. Brig. Gen. Jon Farnham said, "We've received some of the resources that you would typically get in preparation for a large-scale mobilization, but we have not received an actual activation order as of this time."
The important thing is that the equipment is getting into the hands of the troops in plenty of time for them to train on it before the deployment. Although the deployment is still a potential, everyone here is preparing as if it will happen.
Andy Potter - WCAX News
