SEALs train during NE09

Army Sgt. William Penley looks over the Alaskan terrain in a CH-47 Chinook during NORTHERN EDGE 2009, June 17. NE09 is a large scale exercise hosted in Alaska to improve command, control and communications between the Armed Services. Sergeant Penley is a flight engineer assigned to Bravo Comany 152, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

SEALs train during NE09

Steven Decker briefs a group of Navy SEALs river crossing and rope techniques during a training exercise at Phelan Creek during NORTHERN EDGE 2009, June 17. NE09 is a large scale exercise hosted in Alaska to improve command, control and communications between the Armed Services. Mr. Decker is an instructor at the Northern Warfare Training Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

SEALs train during NE09

A group of Navy SEALs prepares to cross Phelan Creek during NORTHERN EDGE 2009, June 17. NE09 is a large scale exercise hosted in Alaska to improve command, control and communications between the Armed Services. The Northern Warfare Training Center and the SEALs worked together on river crossing techniques and rope handling. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

SEALs train in NE09

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- A team of Navy SEALs conducts a river crossing exercise at Phelan Creek during NORTHER EDGE 2009, June 17. NE09 is a large scale exercise hosted in Alaska to improve command, control and communications between the Armed Services. The west coast based SEAL's are training for overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

SEALs train in NE09

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- Mr. Steven Decker teaches a group of Navy SEALs rope techniques during a river crossing exercise at Phelan Creek during NORTHERN EDGE 2009, June 17. NE09 is a large scale exercise hosted in Alaska to improve command, control and communications between the Armed Services. Mr. Decker is an instructor at the Northern Warfare Training Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

NWTC crosses into Northern Edge 2009

Published June 25, 2009
By Capt. Amy Hansen with Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz
Northern Edge Joint Information Bureau

FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- The Army's Northern Warfare Training Center, headquartered at Fort Wainwright, participated in Exercise Northern Edge 2009 here June 17 by instructing a visiting Navy SEAL team on cold-weather river crossing techniques.

"The instructors from the NWTC showed us some excellent techniques that our guys will use in the future," a senior SEAL member said. "We're happy to have a new asset in our skill set."

The NWTC instructors provided demonstrations and hands-on training on how to cross using only a rope in a variety of conditions, including when the river is high-flowing, low-flowing, narrow, wide or cold. The west-coast based Navy SEAL unit practiced the techniques in Phelan Creek, which is in the Black Rapids training area about 30 miles south of Delta Junction.

The SEALs were transported to the training area in CH-47D Chinook helicopters, flown by Fort Wainwright's Task Force 49, 1-52 Aviation Battalion, B Company.

NWTC staff estimated that Phelan Creek, which is fed by Gulkana Glacier, has June water temperatures between 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit.

"The water was pretty cold and the current was fast," said the SEAL, "but our guys weren't afraid to get in there and go to work."

For the nearly 40 members of the NWTC, this type of training is nothing new. The NWTC is responsible for teaching cold weather and mountaineering skills not only to elite groups like the Navy SEALs, but also to every Soldier in the U.S. Army Alaska command, according to Maj. David Bragg, NWTC commander. They accomplish this lofty goal by training platoon and squad-level leaders, who in turn train the USARAK Soldiers in Arctic Light Individual Training.

"It is essential that USARAK Soldiers learn how to fight, sustain and win in a cold weather environment," said Major Bragg.

In addition to rope skills like those taught to the SEAL unit, the typical NWTC course also teaches altimeter use, basic knots, land navigation in mountainous terrain, movement on glaciers and snowshoe and ski skills, according to Stacy Griffith, the NWTC executive officer.

Although the SEALs didn't do the entire mountaineering course, the NWTC instructors strive to make sure their mountain warfare training is the same as that found in other services and geographic areas, according to Pete Smith, NWTC training and standards officer. "We work with the Marine Mountain Warfare School in California and the Army Mountain Warfare School in Vermont so we are all teaching the same skills to our troops," he said.

"The training that we are learning here is invaluable," said the SEAL. "We are always looking ways to improve skills; Northern Edge 09 gives us an opportunity to do that."
Interoperability, or the different branches of the U.S. military working together, is one goal of Exercise Northern Edge 2009. The exercise includes more than 9,000 members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard working together to simulate fighting a war in the Pacific region.