Mountain Warfare School

taymcg12

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Messages
264
Just out of curiosity, how competitive is getting a summer slot for Mountain Warfare school in Jericho, VT as a cadet in AROTC? Does what school you go to matter? Is it like Sapper school where it is extremely competetive? Also if I'm not mistaken, Pathfinder School is another summer option in AROTC. How competitve is getting a slot this also?
 
It's very competitive and not likely. And it's going to be school specific, so this is a question you should be asking the cadre at your school.
 
My brother went to mountain warfare school and said it was a blast. He's enlisted in the vt guard though, so that is how he was able to attend. You will learn lots of knots, do a lot of land nav and rucking, and rappelling.
 
I may be wrong but I thought they had stopped allowing cadets to go to Sapper School a couple of years ago. Again just running off memory.

I did find an old thread on another forum that said in 2009 that only 9 arotc cadets nationwide attended Sapper School so I would consider that pretty competitive.
 
Yeah I had previously looked at Sapper school and saw that last year only about 10 got to go along with 13 West Point Cadets. It is still a cadet summer program
 
Just out of curiosity, how competitive is getting a summer slot for Mountain Warfare school in Jericho, VT as a cadet in AROTC? Does what school you go to matter? Is it like Sapper school where it is extremely competetive? Also if I'm not mistaken, Pathfinder School is another summer option in AROTC. How competitve is getting a slot this also?
 
USMC has a Mountain Warfare school too. MO NROTC and USNA Mids do get to attend it for summer training. Not sure on the numbers.
 
That is great since I am more interested in the Corps than the Army and since I only want to go to the training for the experience and valuable/useful information, not just because I want to join the 10th Division.
 
USMC has a Mountain Warfare school too. MO NROTC and USNA Mids do get to attend it for summer training. Not sure on the numbers.
I think somewhere around 250 attend each year. Normally rising juniors go but the are exceptions. DS did NOT go as he chose a cruise which lines up better with his summer job at his college that the unit really wanted him to do. He got to sail aboard an LSD from Norfolk to San Diego via the Panama Canal. Pretty cool I thought anyway.
 
I think it is great training. This wasn't an option when I was Mid, but those Mids I know who went loved it. I also did a cruise (they were mandatory for us) on an amphib. I got to go to Puerto Rico and some other places. Actually got to spend a ton of time in the field with Marines. I was lucky their CO was a grad and he let me be his radio operator (this was grunt battalion, so no women, so I think he wanted to keep me close). Was a great summer.
 
I think somewhere around 250 attend each year. Normally rising juniors go but the are exceptions. DS did NOT go as he chose a cruise which lines up better with his summer job at his college that the unit really wanted him to do. He got to sail aboard an LSD from Norfolk to San Diego via the Panama Canal. Pretty cool I thought anyway.
Very cool indeed, this is something else for me to think about!
 
I think it is great training. This wasn't an option when I was Mid, but those Mids I know who went loved it. I also did a cruise (they were mandatory for us) on an amphib. I got to go to Puerto Rico and some other places. Actually got to spend a ton of time in the field with Marines. I was lucky their CO was a grad and he let me be his radio operator (this was grunt battalion, so no women, so I think he wanted to keep me close). Was a great summer.
Another great option. I think no matter what I end up doing, it seems I will learn valuable and useful lessons
 
My son went to Winter Mountain Warfare School, the biggest issue was that the school was during the Academic year and he had to deal with the logistics of missing 2 weeks of school in February. There were only 2 slots that were offered through the Brigade. The school itself is as difficult as it is competitive, out of 18 in his squad, 11 passed the course. He had a blast.
 
My son went to Winter Mountain Warfare School, the biggest issue was that the school was during the Academic year and he had to deal with the logistics of missing 2 weeks of school in February. There were only 2 slots that were offered through the Brigade. The school itself is as difficult as it is competitive, out of 18 in his squad, 11 passed the course. He had a blast.
Did he sttend the Army or Marine Corps "version?"
 
The one in Jericho is what I have been researching and I have to say, it looks spectacular. I will start researching the USMC mountain warfare school and Iassume the same will be found for the it. It seems like a place where you can learn a lot of valuable skills that are used everywhere opposed to airborne school where the focus is obviously jumping (although don't get me wrong, I definetly want to try to attend jump school as well)
 
If your enrolled in AROTC, you won't be going to the USMC Course.

There is a summer and winter Mountain Warfare Course, the best you can do is what Clarkson advised, that to your cadre when your at school and let them know you would be interested. When my son went there was no application process, Two slots showed up at Brigade and the MSgt just happened to see them, he contacted my son and asked if he was interested. Son had about an hour to say yes or no so he could get the slot, it happened that fast.

As Clarkson said it's highly unlikely that you would get a slot, just let them know and if your cadre is one that keeps up on any slot that comes up, and your high enough on the battalion OML you may get lucky, but don't count on it. For now research the things that you do have control over and do those things well, if you do you will give yourself more opportunities as you progress through the program. You will need to be a contracted cadet to be eligible for any of these schools.
 
Yes I realize that I have to be in AROTC, but I have not enrolled in anything yet, I will be a senior this year and am applying right now. I am only applying for AROTC and MO NROTC. While it is unlikely, I have a small hope that I will be high enough on the list to get a shot at one of these schools as I value the learning experience and have always had sort of a thirst for knowledge when it comes to things like unconventional warfare.
 
Yes I realize that I have to be in AROTC, but I have not enrolled in anything yet, I will be a senior this year and am applying right now. I am only applying for AROTC and MO NROTC. While it is unlikely, I have a small hope that I will be high enough on the list to get a shot at one of these schools as I value the learning experience and have always had sort of a thirst for knowledge when it comes to things like unconventional warfare.

MyDS got back last week from successful completion of the Army's Northern Warfare school in Alaska. He's AROTC and will be starting his junior year. Originally there were 4 AROTC spots for the whole brigade and then it was cut to 2.
Approx 11 out of 48 soldiers and cadets were No Go - did not pass. My son loved it.
 
Back
Top