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The main task for the first exercise day
was to spend the night in the forest.
For an average person it would look impossible,
but we were assured by the soldiers, that
after their briefing cold is no longer an issue.
It was not complicated, but rather something
new and interesting.
What was so special about it?
For example: warming up with a simple candle.
How is this possible...?
You just need to have a simple candle,
put on your poncho, squat down
on a thermal pad, light up the candle,
cover yourself from the wind with a poncho
and you have a small sauna.
After spending the night in the forest
soldiers put on their skis, equip and are
towed by a truck along a 5 Km course.
The 2 day exercise is finished by a
swim in an ice-hole.
This task is voluntary, so only half
of the soldiers chose to give it a try.
How do you feel ?
Good ...
Good ...? Ok, go.
This way soldiers learn what to do if they
break through the ice.
When soldier is in the water commanding officer
ask him questions to make sure that
he can take orders and make right decisions.
What would you do if you were with your equipment?
I would take it of.
What first?
The weapon, then the backpack.
The backpack would keep me afloat.
It is safe to get out on the back side of the ice-hole.
The goal of this kind of exercise is to prepare
soldiers for the winter conditions in Afghanistan.
Last year I was in the Lithuanian ISAF base
and temperatures dropped to -18°C,
there were some snow, but the main
difference was that the base is 2 Km above
sea level and the frost is dry.
Here the weather is worse, so if
soldiers are able to survive 2 days in these conditions
they should not have any problems in Afghanistan.
With this exercise we are showing soldiers
how to keep their morale high.
There is no bad weather, there are only wrong clothes.
If it is mountains in Afghanistan or forests in Lithuania
basics are the same: stay dry, keep clean and
watch your perspiration.
Throughout the winter there will be more of these
2 day exercises.
In total at the end of the year there will be a group
of 120 soldiers leaving to Afghanistan.