Short Breaks in Winter Conditions – How to Stay Warm and Maintain Performance

Short halt

The short halt is normally 10-15 minutes long and is taken after about one hour’s march.

Always shift direction on the tracks heading with a “90 degrees” turn a bit before the short halt. This is to get a small heads up it your track are followed by a drone, or a hunter force are following in or just on the side of your teams’ tracks.

It’s very important to keep as much as possible of the body heat by putting on warm clothing and that the IRV poncho is used.

Make sure that the body gets warm drinks and some snacks.

When the CO gives the sign for short halt the operator should:

• listen to the patrol CO briefing, update
• check that the communication is kept within the patrol
• prioritize top cover. Try getting in under dens trees, spruce or similar
• pack the snow with skis and widen the track where he is going to rest
• take of the backpack and place it in front of you, between the skis
• Reinforce clothing that is kept in the uniform, webbing and backpack:
  – field hat of and warm hat on
  – put on warm scarf/buff around neck
  – put on warm jacket alternetive Hidi + IRV Tarp (poncho) ontop the webbing.
  – ”working gloves” of and put on reinforcemant mittens.
• sit on the backpack for easy access to your back packs side pockets where the thermos is kept upside down so the corks sealing ring doesn’t freeze to the thermos and breaks when trying to open the cork.
• drink warm drinks from the thermos and eat snacks (“Ranger snuff”)
• during extreme coldness, take of the bindings so the cold metal in the binding doesn’t freeze the feet. The cold is conducted by metal into the feet
• do not leave any litter that can help a hunter force identify your unit
• weapon should never be laid in the snow do not press the buttstock in the snow. Lay the weapon on your ski poles or skis, so it clears the snow.
• check that you have not breathed into NVG or optic sight, so they are iced and you can’t see thru them. Also check if you need to change batteries.
• if cold or risk of chafing on your feet – ask CO for more time to fix the problem
• If any problems with equipment – ask CO for more time to fix the problem
• If you are to drag the pulk after the short halt, you have already the pulk ready behind your resting spot.
• on CO given sign to prepare to move. You will have 90-60 seconds to in reversed order change clothing for movement.
• let the point man get some small head start so there is good time to recce a lay a good track for the rest of the team.