Australian military includes extreme sports as part of training
I learned a lot about my own cognition, stamina and decision-making from whitewater kayaking.
Adventurous Training Wing is the ADF centre of excellence for this adult learning in a reality based experiential environment. Whilst technical skills on a snow covered mountain, river, in a cave, canyon, or at sea are important; they are not the purpose. The purpose is to use that environment and the peers within a group to enhance their self awareness, impacts of behavior, cognition under combat stress, and how to deal with it all.
I like this idea. I learned a lot about my own cognition, stamina and decision-making from whitewater kayaking. Not all of it was good — once, as I approached a nasty rapid on the Cheat River, very tired after several days of hard paddling and distracted by off-river troubles, I idly stroked left when I should have stroked right. I wound up upside down in a big rapid with some broken ribs.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Adventurous Training Wing is the ADF centre of excellence for this adult learning in a reality based experiential environment. Whilst technical skills on a snow covered mountain, river, in a cave, canyon, or at sea are important; they are not the purpose. The purpose is to use that environment and the peers within a group to enhance their self awareness, impacts of behavior, cognition under combat stress, and how to deal with it all.
I like this idea. I learned a lot about my own cognition, stamina and decision-making from whitewater kayaking. Not all of it was good — once, as I approached a nasty rapid on the Cheat River, very tired after several days of hard paddling and distracted by off-river troubles, I idly stroked left when I should have stroked right. I wound up upside down in a big rapid with some broken ribs.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
More from Foreign Policy
Is Cold War Inevitable?
A new biography of George Kennan, the father of containment, raises questions about whether the old Cold War—and the emerging one with China—could have been avoided.
So You Want to Buy an Ambassadorship
The United States is the only Western government that routinely rewards mega-donors with top diplomatic posts.
Can China Pull Off Its Charm Offensive?
Why Beijing’s foreign-policy reset will—or won’t—work out.
Turkey’s Problem Isn’t Sweden. It’s the United States.
Erdogan has focused on Stockholm’s stance toward Kurdish exile groups, but Ankara’s real demand is the end of U.S. support for Kurds in Syria.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
