18. chapter – BSM – Shooting and sleeping in an igloo

For the last 2 weeks, we had 3 modules left to validate our BSM. A shooting séance in snow with skies, a night in igloo and the final ascending test. 

Until the half of the training 3 of our platoon have gone back to St. Christol because of injury. My friend has broken his finger during a backcountry slope training because he left his hand in the ski pole strap. The instructors were angry because they have drawn our attention to the fact at the beginning of the training. It’s always better to lose a pole than losing a finger – they said.

I have also got a serious injury and had to miss 3 days of the training

because I did not understand when the instructors explained the importance of opening and closing the ski boots, so until the end of the 3rd week my feet were in blood after each march.

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I had a blister in in another blister and was not even able to take my flip-flop on. I wanted to be more intelligent than the system, and during an ascending, I put some compeed (it’s basically a cushion type plaster which protects the blister and can stay on for a few days and it’s supposed to feel a bit more like natural skin rather than a normal plaster) on my blister and marched a day with.

Once I cooled down after the training, the pain wasn’t supportable anymore. I went to tell my problem to the army nurse.

He said that he has never ever seen an idiot like me during his 25 years service

He actually had to cut the plastic off my skin. It was a horrible experience; only by chance, I could stay and participate in the final test.

A few days later I had no choice. I wasn’t 100% okay, but I had to go out with the platoon for the shooting on skies. During almost the whole day, we were out with our Famas and everyone enjoyed the new experience. Even if nobody become an expert in winter shooting, I was satisfied with my results and found interesting how to move and use our gear in snow.

My favorite day of the BSM was when we went up to the mountains for a night in igloo.

The platoon got a whole afternoon for the preparation and a little briefing before diner. Not everyone was as excited as I, especially the Africans. They could have imagined something else to do than passing a night in an igloo.

Next morning the assembly was at 4.30, the departure at 5.00. One hour and a half on a truck and when we arrived in the valley where we started the ascending. It was still – 12°C degrees. The backpacks were heavier than usually because we had to carry a big sleeping bag and some other stuffs to pass a night outside. Going without camping gas and some extra food wasn’t an option. The water isn’t a big problem in the mountains, because we can melt snow during longer rests.

The platoon was moving slowly so when we arrived I wasn’t too tired (and my injury was supportable).

The construction started right after a short lunch pause.

The platoon chief gave the orders and organized the beginning of the work, but after we had to finish alone.

The instructors were sleeping in a small refuge not too far from our place. Before leaving, he told us that if someone wants to sleep inside he could. An African and a Bulgarian wouldn’t mind to do so, but the adjutant just laughed and left. Everyone who wants to complete the training has to pass a night in an igloo.

We finished the construction before the sunset

The instructors checked if everything is all right and left us to experiment the life in an igloo. The igloo we made are not at all similar to those of the Eskimos. As you can see on the picture below, it’s an approximatively 2m deep and 15m long corridor in the snow with some holes in the wall both sides, big enough for 2-3 persons.

The temperature inside is around 2-3°C, but very humid. I got my 20 minutes guard at midnight. It was horrible to get out of my 25°C warm sleeping bag to the -15°C corridor. I had to check each igloo if the candles inside are still lighting. It showed us if we had enough oxygen or not. In case of a problem, the guys inside should have to come out, but it didn’t happen.

At the morning, we warmed a coffee, had a breakfast and ruined the igloos. An American forgot his gloves inside which he bought just before the training for 200 euros. All of us were laughing but not during a long time because we had to go down with our heavy backpacks. 

The before last day the platoon had the final test.

It’s a 1200 meters ascending and a bit ski at the end. I was almost the last one and was suffering during the whole exercise, but I’ve finished and validated my BSM. 4 weeks were enough for the first time in the mountains.

If I had to resume my first mountain training, I would say it was interesting, I learned many new things. During the biggest part of the four weeks I felt like if I was on a holiday and not on a training of the French Foreign Legion.