In the period from 20 to 24 September 2011, the German national organization »Kameradenkreis der Gebirggstruppe« hosted already the XXVI. Congress of the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers (IFMS) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. At the congress, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the USA as full-fledged members were also joined by Bulgaria and Montenegro in the function of guest countries. The productive and friendly atmosphere of congress events again reconfirmed commitment of member nations to the common values of mountain soldiers. During discussions, the IFMS Secretary General Brigadier Bojan Pograjc and representatives of national organizations reported on the accomplished work and drafted some proposals for future activities of this notable international organization.

The main theme of the congress was closer cooperation of national organizations and the IFMS with active mountain units in individual countries. The main professional topic of the congress focused on the impact of environmental and climate changes on mountain unit operations. The generally assembly has been chaired by the COL (Retired) Manfred Benkel and positive spirit from all the delegates.

Congress delegates had the opportunity to observe a complex tactical exercise of mountain units in difficult terrain and mountain environment that was organized and conducted by the Mountain School of the German Armed Forces from Mittenwald, also with participation of members from the Slovenian Multinational Centre of Excellence for Mountain Warfare

At the closing ceremony with the speaker of honour Minister Dr. Marcel Huber, Brigadier Bojan Pograjc awarded honorary members of national delegations with IFMS medals.

With the increasing excellence of the Chamonix, Bled and most recently Garmisch-Partenkirchen  IFMS congresses, the future organizers of congresses – Spain in 2012 – will be faced with even more challenging work, coordination and preparation.

In France, St. Bernard is celebrated as a patron of the Alps and mountain soldiers. Every year, a celebration in his honour is organised at the fortress La Bastille above the town of Grenoble, where there is also a monument honouring 15,000 fallen French mountain soldiers, and a military mountaineering museum. This year’s celebration took place on 17 June. For the first time, IFMS Secretary General, Brigadir Pograjc, and President of the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers, Brigadier (Ret.) Kavar, were invited to this event. The French national organisation of mountain soldiers, the UTM, honoured the IFMS as well as the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers with its invitation to the ceremony. The ceremonial formation above Grenoble comprised the entire 27th French Mountain Soldiers Battalion (Chasseurs Alpins). The formation was inspected by the Chief of the Joint Staff of the French Armed Forces and the Commander of the French Mountain Brigade. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the government and other French army branches, war veterans, and the presidents of all UTM sections. After the ceremony, members of the mountain brigade special forces conducted a short tactical exercise which, along with combat and transport helicopters, also included combat aircraft of the French Air Force. In the centre of Grenoble, an exhibition of the equipment and weapons of French mountain units was put on display. A showroom dedicated to the Alpine squad - the Groupe Militaire de Haute Montagne (GMHM) - attracted particular attention. As part of the French Mountain Soldiers Day, the annual meeting of the UTM also took place in Grenoble. In this context, the new leadership of the French Organisation of Mountain Soldiers was appointed and the organisation will now be chaired by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Michel Klein. Furthermore, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Benoit Deleuze was appointed Secretary General of the UTM.

 

 

The 84th Adunata Nazionale - the annual reunion of the Italian Alpini Association A.N.A. - took place in Turin between 6 and 8 May. This year’s reunion was a record in all respects: it was attended by 300,000 members (Alpini) and 150,000 persons participated in the closing parade which was observed by as much as half a million spectators. As part of the reunion, a variety of accompanying activities took place, including a large exhibition on mountain warfare weapons and equipment.
 
At the invitation of the A.N.A., the reunion was attended by a six-member delegation of the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers, along with the delegations of other IFMS member states, namely France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland, and the IFMS Secretary General, Brigadier Pograjc. During the reunion ceremony, the delegation of the Bulgarian organisation of mountain soldiers, whose mountain section endeavours to become a member of the IFMS, was introduced. The organizers of this year’s event devoted exceptional attention to the IFMS.
 
During the reunion, an informal meeting of the IFMS Executive Board took place

On 4 June 2011, the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers and the Municipality of Bovec successfully organised the first giant slalom race in memory of the competition held by the American 10^th Mountain Division on 3 June 1945 under Mt Mangart.

The giant slalom competition on the Mangart Saddle was first staged 66 years ago. Then the competitors were members of the 10^th Mountain Division, who, at the end of World War II, were involved in operations along the emerging Yugoslav-Italian border. This time, in 2011, the competitors of the race were teams from the USA, Italy and Slovenia, and from the International Federation of Mountain Soldiers (IFMS). Once more, Mangart lived up to its reputation as a mountain which unifies peoples.

The honorary speaker at the opening of the memorial race, Minister of Defence Dr. Ljubica Jelušič, stressed the importance of friendship and alliance among nations. She thanked Brigadier Janez Kavar, President of the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers, for reviving this legendary event, and for his work in the field of military mountaineering.

The audience was also addressed by Mayor of the Bovec Municipality, Mr Daniel Krivec, and by US Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Joseph A. Mussomeli. Mayor Krivec, among other things, drew attention to the history of Bovec, which is full of military events. US Ambassador emphasised the good cooperation between the Slovenian and American soldiers.

The ceremony was also attended by Chief of General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Major General Alojz Šteiner, and Commandant of the Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command, Brigadier Bojan Pograjc, who is also Secretary General of the IFMS.

Brigadier Bojan Pograjc was also the leader of the IFMS team, and the other two members were Retired Colonel Manfred Benkel and Lieutenant Colonel Boštjan Blaznik.

The IFMS team competed among 19 teams, each of them consisting of three members. The teams came from Italy, members of the US Embassy to the Republic of Slovenia, descendants of the 1945-race competitors, members of Mountain Units of the Slovenian Armed Forces, the Police, the Mountain Rescue Service, veterans of the Slovenian War of Independence, young skiers from Bovec, and from the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers. The IFMS team claimed an excellent fourth position. The winner was the Bovec Mountain Rescue Service team.

The participation of the joint IFMS team received a wide response among the public and was the best possible promotion of our international organisation.

Each year the German Army´s 10th Panzerdivision headquartered in Sigmaringen conducts the International Divisional Ski Championship. This year this top event was organized at the Hohenzollern Ski Stadium  near the city of  Regen in the Bavarian Forest.

Approximately 600 members of  all units of the 10th Panzerdivision, reservists of various organizations as well as teams from allied nations competed for prizes and recognition during four days.

While competitions of individual participants occupied most of the first three days’ events, the last day was reserved for team competitions as the most challenging event of the championship. The military ski patrol demanded from soldiers to pass specific tests, such as hand grenade throwing, shooting, cross country skiing as well as the rescue of wounded comrades using a sled that was built during the competition.

For the first time in the history of the Divisional Ski Championship, Secretary General of the IFMS, Brigadier Bojan Pograjc, presented the cup for the best international team to the team of the Romanian Armed Forces, whereas the Polish and the Swiss teams finished second and third.

Photos:

1. The winning Romanian team with the IFMS Cup
2. A military patrol team in the final meters
3. Secretary General of the IFMS, Brigadier Bojan Pograjc, and President of the German Kameradenkreis der Gebirgstruppe, Manfred Benkel, at the Hohenzollern Stadium.

On 21 January 2011, the Minister of Defence, Dr. Ljubica Jelušič, received the IFMS Secretary-General, Brigadier Bojan Pograjc, and president of the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers, Retired Brigadier Janez Kavar, accompanied by the IFMS Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel Boštjan Blaznik.

Following the review of successful work of the international and national organisation in 2010, and the Minister's commendation, the discussion focused on possible further support from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia to mountain soldiers in 2011.

The discussion focused in particular on the positive role of mountain soldiers who, in the context of civil-military cooperation, ensure and promote the integration of active, retired and contract members of national armed forces with other civilian organisations.

IFMS activities and activities of the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers are crucial for the Multinational Centre of Excellence for Mountain Warfare of the Slovenian Armed Forces established on 2 February 2011 at Bohinjska Bela. Formal entry of member states and the Centre’s operation in the international arena will be launched with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in June 2011.

Special attention was given to reviving the ski race that was carried out by the U.S. 10th Mountain Division in 1945 on the slopes of Mount Mangart in Slovenia. In addition to the Slovenian Organisation of Mountain Soldiers, the Ministry of Defence and the Slovenian Armed Forces, the international event will be co-organised by the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana and the Bovec Municipality. The race with international participation will be held on 4 June 2011.

Photo: Vekoslav Rajh, MoD