Officers from USA, the Netherlands and UK participated the AW-course. As for the other courses the international atmosphere is concidered very positive among instructors and students. A close cooperation and knowledge about each other is achieved through the mulinationality.
The course deal with the ability to measure the hazard of avalanche in accordance with military activity. The aim is to enable officers to advice those responsible to plan and conduct exercises where there is a risk of avalanche. The aim is furthermore to educate instructors certified to conduct avalanche training for their own units.
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Assessing the hazard of avalanche consists of 3 things; snow, weather and terrain. It is these 3 factors that the course is all about. The theory was done during the first two days, including practical training using rescue equipement developed for avalanche accidents. The next 6 days were spent outdoors. Terrain and snow analysis were the focus during this phase.
In addition the students are teached how the nature and environment give them signs that are useful during their effort to assess the risk of avalanche. Each day ended with a session where the teams told what they had explored during the day and how this would influence the prevailing avalanche hazard.
Originally the course should take place in Troms in northern Norway. However, this winter has been extraordinary in many ways, best snowconditions was found in southern Norway. Relocation was necessary and the breathtaking scenery in Romsdalen was chosen. HGD 11 and camp Setnesmoen hosted the course with excellent service.
COE- CWO would like to give thanks to course leader Major Jon Vestli and the avalanche instructors for planning and conducting the course.
