Airmen learn more than mountaineering at Army Mountain Warfare School Published April 23, 2026 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The U.S. Army’s Mountain Warfare School taught two Air Force Life Cycle Management Center acquisitions officers how to conquer peaks and even more about gaining knowledge and perspective. For Maj. Jonathan Buckingham and 2nd Lt. James Maddock, the two-week course in Vermont, offered lessons they say will directly influence how they use their current roles to better support the warfighter. In this photo provided by 2nd Lt. James Maddock, an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center engineer, fires his rifle during the high-angle shooting portion of the Basic Military Mountaineer Course at the U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vt., March 25. The two-week course trains service members in alpine mobility, survival and technical rope systems to operate effectively in rugged, mountainous terrain. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res “It was a great opportunity to learn more about our sister service,” said Buckingham, a Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management program manager. “It helps that we're learning some of their tactics and procedures.” Maddock, an AFLCMC engineer and graduate of the Army’s Air Assault course, is currently working in an office with a relatively small number of enlisted personnel. He said the course helped him better understand the dynamic between a young officer and senior noncommissioned officers. Maddock appreciated the opportunity to experience direct senior noncommissioned officer to lieutenant mentorship. “A couple of the Army infantry guys there were very kind and reached out,” said Maddock. “That was huge for me.” Buckingham said he’s learned to adapt his communication style, something he feels is directly applicable to his current role as a C3BM program manager, which involves balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders. In this photo provided by 2nd Lt. James Maddock, an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center engineer, Maj. Jonathan Buckingham, a Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management program manager, crosses a ravine using a high-line rope system during the Basic Military Mountaineer Course at the U.S. Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vt., March 25. The two-week course trains service members in alpine mobility, survival and technical rope systems to operate effectively in rugged, mountainous terrain. (Courtesy photo) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res “As soon as you can figure out there are other stakeholders involved and other angles, the more successful you can be,” he said. Both officers said the course reinforced the need for physical fitness training and mental resilience. The physical demands of carrying everything he needed also provided Maddock with a new perspective on the warfighter. “Every single ounce, every pound that you can strip is immensely crucial,” he said. Maddock appreciated the opportunity to learn creative solutions to complex problems. “‘Find a way or make one’ is a phrase I heard a lot,” he said. “I think having that mindset and finding a way to instill it in my coworkers would be crucial to what we do here.” For Buckingham, the lesson to pass on is the heavily emphasized “train-the-trainer” mindset. “If you take the time to actually train them, develop them, you're essentially creating a force multiplier,” he said. To learn more about the Army’s Mountain Warfare School, visit Fort Benning | Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS).