Two intense weeks of “winterization” of the projection component of the Navy ended in the Piedmont and Abruzzo mountains, during which the instructors of the 2nd and 9th Alpine Regiment trained 90 riflemen of the Marina San Marco Brigade to movement, continuous operations and combat in a snowy mountain environment.
With the aim of providing staff with experiences on different types of mountain environment, also allowing for more extensive training, the Lions of the “Venice” Assault Battalion were divided into two different rates, the first of which went to Cuneo at 2 ° Alpine Regiment, while the second was sent to L’Aquila at the 9th Alpine Regiment.
Provided the basic notions for the setting in the mountains, the instructors paid particular attention to transmitting to the Navy personnel the essential need for the knowledge and efficiency of equipment and equipment, as well as the careful preparation of the itineraries and the study of the conditions meteorological conditions of the area.
Having established these essential points, the actual training began in the Argentera Valley in the Cuneo area and in Campo Imperatore on the Gran Sasso, which saw the carrying out of day and night marches, patrols on foot with snowshoes and crampons followed by shooting lessons and elementary tactical acts.
The development of continuous activities at high altitude with the construction of trunas and shelters, combined with the teaching of self-rescue techniques and assistance to personnel in difficulty, injured or overwhelmed by an avalanche, have allowed the instructors to provide the main notions for operations in mountain and in arctic climates, knowledge and experiences developed in the 150 years of life of the body of the Alpini.
The adverse climatic conditions, conditioned by the low temperatures of the last few weeks, have made the activity particularly effective, subjecting Fusiliers – not accustomed to the alpine environment – to situations of difficulty and stress such that only the high level of training and the fortitude they could get over.
