At the Lizum-Walchen military training area in Tyrol, soldiers from the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Spain and Austria are currently training together in infantry combat in a high alpine environment. The two-week “European Mountain Thunder 2022” exercise, which is part of the European Mountain Training Initiative, focuses on improving skills in mountain combat in late winter conditions.
On the first day of the exercise, the training objective for the soldiers from Montenegro was “marching in high alpine terrain”. After receiving orders from the Montenegrin platoon commander and a briefing on the alpine situation from an army mountain guide of the Austrian Armed Forces, the soldiers set off.
Starting out on snow-free ground, the route changed to a snowy surface after just a few meters in altitude. Snowshoes now had to be put on to make progress. The task on the first day of training was to reach a march destination several hours away and to overcome 500 meters of altitude in high alpine terrain. The soldiers moved forward in a secured march. In the course of the ascent, combat exercises were repeatedly played out. The soldiers had to recognize and react to enemy observation posts. It was an instructive first day of exercises for the participants of the Montenegrin armed forces.
