Spartan paratroopers graduate from Finnish cold-weather course

Sgt. 1st Class Cory Birdsong (lower center) with 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, conducts the breaking through ice drill as part of the Finland Cold Weather Basic Operation Course Jan. 6-16, 2015, to build on relations with the Finland Forces and improve knowledge of operations conducted in a cold weather environment. The 10-day course is similarly structured to the U.S. Army’s Cold Weather Leaders Course, with the exception that the entire course is on skis instead of snow shoes. Some of the basic tasks taught are moving and shooting with skis, building a fire using a survival kit, ski course to learn how to brake going downhill and a ski obstacle course, land navigation with ruck sack and skis, crossing a river with skis and breaking-through-ice drill with skis while wearing a ruck sack. (U.S. Army courtesy photo/Released)