Senior engineers face challenges to complete sapper rite of passage

  • Published
  • By Army Capt. Aaron Anderson
  • 6th Engineer Battalion
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  On Aug. 17, the 6th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne) conducted the Order of the Arctic Sapper, a rigorous day-long training event involving multiple team-based challenges. The event's participants included 52 Soldiers in the rank of sergeant first class and above throughout the battalion.

"The Order of the Arctic Sapper was designed to achieve multiple individual and collective training objectives, while building cohesion among our senior leaders through friendly team-based competition," said Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister, commander of the 6th Eng. Bn.

The daylong event consisted of six teams of approximately 10 Soldiers. Each team was presented with a series of objectives which required them to overcome challenges unique to the Alaska environment.

The challenges included mountain climbing, rappelling, and river crossing before reaching the final event in which each team conducted a live fire and battalion knowledge board.

In addition to the natural physical and mental challenges, secrecy was a key feature of the event. Aside from a handful of planners, the details of the event were not disclosed to participants until the day prior to execution, which further challenged everyone's ability to think on their feet and deal with uncertainty.

The event began as teams were transported by helicopter into the Alaska wilderness and required to climb to the summit of Temptation Peak. Teams were not given a designated route, which tested their land navigation skills.

"The climb to Temptation Peak was definitely a challenge," said Capt. Tyler Van Zandt of the 84th Engineer Support Company. "Not only did the terrain itself make the event challenging, but the addition of hail, rain, and wind at higher elevations further increased the level of difficulty."

Following this grueling hike through rugged terrain, each team then made their way to Ship Creek in order to rappel down a 150 foot tower.

Upon ascending back to the top of the rappel site, each team moved further up the river and conducted a crossing on a rope bridge.

Connected to a single rope using nothing but a carabiner, each member pulled themselves through the water on their back hand over hand until they reached the other side. While tired from the events already completed, the cold river water was enough to motivate each participant to move at a very rapid pace.

The final objective required each team to complete a live-fire range which was immediately followed by a board which tested each team's knowledge of the battalion's history. This final event was aimed to teach each leader about the unit history and instill a greater pride in the 6th Eng. Bn.

In total, each team endured approximately 18 hours of challenging training. Along the way, each team was forced to motivate each other and come together as a cohesive
unit.

"The Order of the Arctic Sapper definitely pushed everyone to their mental and physical limits, but we all pulled through and accomplished our tasks together as a team," said Capt. Andrew Scott, battalion plans officer. "It was a true confidence building measure from an individual and team perspective."

Each team was evaluated based upon previously established criteria, to include performance on the live fire range and the time it took to complete the course. The team representing the 23rd Engineer Company (Sapper) (Airborne) was declared the overall victor for this inaugural event.

All participants were officially inducted into the Order of the Arctic Sapper and presented "Arctic Sapper" tabs to certify their completion of the event.

Although this event was unique in several respects, the concept of team building through friendly competition was not new to the Arctic Sappers. Last winter, the battalion conducted the Arctic Sapper Winter Olympic Games in March for 10 days involving multiple team-based competitive events designed to reinforce arctic skill sets.

"We hope to continue our tradition of building tactically competent Soldiers through both traditional training events and competition-based training," Hoffmeister said. "Our next competitive training event will take place in the winter with the continuation of the Arctic Sapper Winter Olympics, which will go a long way in building a full spectrum, all-weather force that is capable of mastering the physical terrain of their surrounding environment."