Mountain Warfare Training Center

Coordinates: 38°21′33″N 119°30′45″W / 38.35917°N 119.5125°W / 38.35917; -119.5125

Mountain Warfare Training Center, MWTC
Mono County, northwest of Bridgeport, California
MWTC Insignia
Type	Military base
Built	1951
In use	1951–present
Commanders	Current CO

The Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows on California State Route 108 in the Toiyabe National Forest, 21 miles northwest of Bridgeport, California. The training center exists to train units in complex compartmented terrain.

Mission

The Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center, as a major subordinate element of Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, and with support from Marine Corps Installations - West, conducts unit and individual training courses to prepare USMC, Joint, and Allied Forces for operations in mountainous, high altitude, and cold weather environments in support of the Regional Combatant Commanders. Additionally, MWTC provides support to Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC); Training and Education Command; Marine Corps Systems Command; and other USMC and Department of Defense (DOD) agencies engaged in the development of warfighting doctrine and specialized equipment for use in mountain and cold weather operations.^[1]

History

MWTC Basecamp, Pickel Meadows

The Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is one of the Corps most remote and isolated posts. The Center was established in 1951 as the Cold Weather Battalion with a mission of providing cold weather training for replacement personnel bound for Korea. After the Korean War, in 1963, the school was renamed the "Mountain Warfare Training Center" due to its expanded role. During the 1980s the Training Centers focus was on training and preparing Marines and operational units for deployments on NATO's Northern flank, particularly Norway. Recently, with the Global War on Terrorism, the MWTC provides pre-deployment training in support of Operation Enduring Freedom—the war in Afghanistan. ^[2]

Operating Areas

MWTC MOUT site in Hawthorne (lower left) and RHU Village set up in Summit Meadows Sept 2007

MWTC is located in what's known as Pickel Meadows of the Sierra Nevada mountains south of Lake Tahoe on 46,000 acres (190 km²) of mountainous terrain with elevations from 6,700 ft (2,000 m) – 11,000 ft. Other areas utilized by MWTC: Sweetwater Airstrip 6,835 ft (2,083 m), Mt Shasta 14,179 ft (4,322 m), the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada (U.S.) and Hawthorne Army Depot for live fire exercises. 38°21′24″N 119°30′59″W / 38.35667°N 119.51639°W / 38.35667; -119.51639^[3][4]

MWTC Installation Capabilities

• Billeting facilities to support 1200+ training personnel
• Chowhall to support permanent and training personnel
• Naval Hospital Branch Clinic
• Fire Department/EMS ambulances
• Base Security Forces / PMO
• Classrooms and base theater
• 1200’ VSTOL-capable Expeditionary Airfield (EAF)
• Fleet of BV 206 restricted terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206
• Stables and pack animals
• Specialized technical mountaineering and ski equipment
• Modern Range Operations Center
• Multiple small arms ranges
• Multiple rock climbing training areas
• Multiple stream crossing sites
• Ski Lift
• Avalanche training site
• Unit/Combat Operations Center
• MCCS, Post Exchange, Single Marine Program, Fitness Center and Rock Training/Climbing wall
• The Pickel Post, Base Newsletter
• Family Housing for Permanent personnel
• Click for TOPO Map

MWTC School of Mountain Warfare

Marines train at the MWTC

Formal Courses / Training Programs Offered

USMC Mountain Leader (S/W) Logo

A mule pack string operated by the MWTC Animal Packing Course participating in the 2010 Bishop Mule Days parade.

Mules trained by the MWTC Animal Packing Course carrying weapons in the 2010 Bishop Mule Days parade.

• Mountain Operations Staff Planning Course
• Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Courses
• Mountain Sniper Course
• Mountain and Cold Weather Medical Courses
• Mountain Survival Course
• Mountain Communications Course
• Animal Packing Course
• Satellite Courses for Specialized elements of the MAGTF
  • Tactical Rope Suspension Techniques (TRST) Course
  • Assault Climber Course
  • Scout Skier Course
  • OSV (Over the Snow Vehicle) / rough terrain driver training
  • Custom tailored packages for Aviation units
• Mountain Warfare Instructor Qualification Courses

Pre-Deployment Training Programs (PTP)

ETTs conducting Rough Terrain Driving in Hawthorne May 2007

• Mountain Exercise (MTNEX) (revamped summer/winter package customized per METL)
  • Training for all USMC MAGTF elements/units for OEF

MWI (Mountain Warfare Instructor, AKA Red Hats) Training^[5]

Basic MWI

• MLC or IQC (Instructor Qualification Course) Graduate, Seasonal
• BIC (Basic Instructor Course)
• SAT (Systems Approach to Training) and ORM (Operational Risk Management) Online Courses
• ORM (Operational Risk Management)
• RSO (Range Safety Officer)
• 225 score on the [United States Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test] (PFT) unadjusted for age or altitude
• Recommendation from Course Chief

Senior MWI

MWIs (aka Red Hats) conducting advanced winter mobility training in the Eastern Sierras (Evolution Loop) March 2005

• Summer and Winter Mountain Leader Course (or IQC)
• Completed AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course
• Qualify as a BSI (Basic Ski Instructor)
• Complete Snow II Clinic
• Complete Rock II Clinic
• Complete Alpine II Clinic
• Certified as a Wilderness First Responder or higher
• Completed 20 hours of platform Instruction
• Recommendation from OIC.

Master MWI

• Completed AIARE Avalanche Level 2 Or Level 1 Instructor Course
• Qualify as a MSI (Military Ski Instructor).
• Complete Snow III Clinic
• Complete Rock III Clinic
• Complete Alpine III Clinic
• Completed 40 hours of platform Instruction
• Recommendation from OIC.

See also

United States Marine Corps portal

• List of United States Marine Corps bases
• Ski warfare
• Winter warfare
• Mountain warfare
• Mountain Leader
• Army Mountain Warfare School USA
• Northern Warfare Training Center USA
• Mountain Leader Training Cadre UK
• Nepal Army High Altitude and Mountain Warfare School, Mustang
• High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Sonamarg
• Russian Hatsavita Mountain Warfare Training Russia
• French Chasseurs Alpins
• Italian Alpini
• German Gebirgsjäger
• Polish Podhale rifles
• Romanian Vânători de Munte

References

1. ^ MWTC Command and Staff "A Training Complex for Complex Terrain"
2. ^ MWTC Command and Staff "A Training Complex for Complex Terrain"
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
4. ^ MWTC Command and Staff "A Training Complex for Complex Terrain"
5. ^ Academic Training Center Order, Dated June 2010

External links

• MWTC's official website
• A Training Complex for Complex Terrain
• Installation Overview
• Info on the installation
• MWTC facebook Page
• Small Wars Journal - Mountain Warfare - The need for specialized training, Sept 2004, Major Muhammad Asim Malik, Pakistan Army
• Our Troops in Afghanistan Need Mountain Warfare Training
• Understanding Mountain Warfare Training, October 2005, Michael S. Woodson
• Alpinist, A Short March to the Hindu Kush, Posted on: November 27, 2006, Ed Darack
• Mountain Viper Article Feb 2008, Cpl. Michael S. Cifuentes, USMC
• Proceedings, An Entirely Different Battlefield, Oct 2008 , Ed Darack
• Training for Mountain and Winter Warfare, 1946, Capt. Thomas P. Govan USA
• Mountain Warfare in the Past and Present, 1857, Frederick Engels
• FM 3-97.61, Military Mountaineering
• FM 3-97.6, Mountain Operations
• FM 31-70, Cold Weather Manual
• FM 9-207/TO 36-1-40, Operations and Maintenance of Ordnance Materiel in Cold Weather
• Soviet invasion of Finland