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  1. #1
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    Default Meanwhile back in Finland...

    As we all know, the spring is bringing the northern hemisphere back to life after long, cold darkness of the winter. The weather has been very nice for some time in the southern Finland, snow all long gone, winter tires changed to summer ones, birds are migrating back for the summer and temperatures are rising just like the ever better spirit of the Finns waiting for the soothing warmth of the summertime.

    But then just before the festivities of the May Day, the weather started to change for the worst...

    This weekend I was an assistant instructor to ex military, ex SWAT Monte Gould from IMTT LLC and Chris White, retired member of SEAL team six on SEAL Advanced Carbine course. Very fast phased, information and action packed weekend for the more advanced shooters and professionals, the clients were professional instructors, active reservists and active Finnish Defense Forces personnel.

    Last week Mr. White stepped out of an airplane at Helsinki International airport wearing his spring attire, T-shirt and shorts, no flip-flops though...and the temperature was just above freezing... The day one began temperature in about +10(ish) C, sun shining, no wind, but at noon there were lots of cloud buildup and stormy gusts of wind followed by...a blizzard with temperature dropping way below freezing. Big spruce trees were falling by the strength of the wind, the snow rendered optics almost unusable, but then again there was a segment of learning how to shoot with your primary sight disabled. Lucky us, we got the reality dialed up to the max

    This is when it still was kind of calm...



    ...but then it kept snowing until in the next morning there was over 10 cm of snow everywhere. Adv Carbine course changed into Winter War simulation :)

    Here's a picture from the day one, one of the FDF personnel with Monte Gould. Still smiling, but he's used to weather related surprises during the 20 years of giving classes in Finland




    The winter is coming, I've heard said in a quite popular TV-programme, but in Finland winter comes and goes every now and then regardless of the time of year.

    What did Mr. White think of the weather? He loved it, since he shouted up loud "I F£$!!% LOVE Finnish weather!"

    Maybe he was just sarcastic, I'm not so sure...

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    Sheesh dude! I don't know how you guys do it. I get miserable in a Joburg winter. Looks like you guys had great fun though

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    Lots of fun and very tired warriors in the sauna after the first day I see there's some videos of this event in the tube:


  4. #4
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    And some more:





  5. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DrDave View Post
    Sheesh dude! I don't know how you guys do it. I get miserable in a Joburg winter. Looks like you guys had great fun though
    They drink a lot :)

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...


  7. #7
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    That looks awesome

    Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk

  8. #8

    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    Quote Originally Posted by AK-Gunner View Post
    The winter is coming, I've heard said in a quite popular TV-programme, but in Finland winter comes and goes every now and then regardless of the time of year.
    Any "white walkers" to shoot at over there?

    It must be intense training in these conditions, but then you would have to I guess, base your training on the conditions where you live.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    Exactly. It would be nice to train in the Bahamas, but... White walkers? Well, I don't know, it was way too white to tell

    There are usually lots of nice days or weeks in a row during summertime and early autumn, temperature between +20 and +25C, but sometimes it rains a lot more or less whole summer. And then some.




    About other things in Finland...

    As stated somewhere else on this forum, the war time troops of Finnish Defense Forces consists mainly of ex conscripts who are in the active reserve force. There are annual refreshers for key personnel, but large exercises are expensive, thus not an annual event. Last year I participated one of these large ones: the knowledge and expertise of a 52 year old F.A.G. is still needed and current, which makes me feel pretty good and also thankful towards my battalion command :) I was ones already swept away for being too old, but then came Putin and the invasion of Crimea. Welcome back! :)

    A group of Finnish conscripts:



    The training we gave last weekend is invaluable to both to the professional FDF personnel and the reservists, since the FDF doesn't have the resources to keep either party in constant pro-training, therefore we have a large number of people training with their own expense and participating Applied Reservists' Shooting events.

    Here's a link to a pretty good article of Finnish geopolitical situation (with minor erred conclusions):

    http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/04/1...rth/#arvlbdata

  10. #10

    Default Re: Meanwhile back in Finland...

    AK-Gunner do you guys use special lubricants on your weapons during the winter months?

    I'm wondering about the types of challenges you would have maintaining your firearms under these conditions.

    Here's a link to the "white walkers" I was referring to earlier ...

    http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/White_Walkers

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