Interview with a mountain infantry soldier

"...to become the best and believe me, here you will be because for the Galicia Cazadores it is ¡VENCER O MORIR!"

In this blog, we are going to share an interview with a fellow soldier from the mountain infantry, conducted on our Discord channel. We hope you enjoy it.

What is life like for a mountain infantry soldier?

Depending on the company, troops form up earlier or later for the flag ceremony, which is at 8:00. Physical training follows (the activities are chosen by the commanders). At 9:00, a break is taken for breakfast, and at 10:00/10:30, activities begin, which will vary according to the season and the needs of the company.

Finally at 15:00 or at 14:30 in summer the workday ends.

What qualities or skills are you looking for in the specialty?

We need active personnel, not people who become complacent or lazy: this unit is demanding, even more so on mountain exercises, and lives can be at stake. We look for a drive to improve, and strong, sporty people who can perform well physically and meet the companies’ standards. 

The most important thing is the mind; it can generate double the strength of your body, and that will help you get through tough times, always moving forward. Therefore, we can say that people with strong morale and an unbreakable attitude are well suited to the unit.

Do you usually go out for maneuvers a lot?

Let's say about 5/7 times a year.

Can work be balanced with family life?

Yes, my family is 800km away and I can still spend time with them. From experience, I can say that it depends on the individual and their family circumstances. There are people here who have families and can spend time with them.

How did it go for you at the CEFOT? 

It wasn't a bad experience. It was one of the training intakes during Covid, so it was a little unusual, but I am very glad to have had the experience.

Do you face any obstacles when buying an apartment or house if you are posted in Jaca? Is it worth living there?

There are no obstacles. People here are very used to living alongside military personnel, and yes, it is convenient to live here because the journey to the barracks from anywhere in the city is very short.

What did you study before joining the army, and have you studied anything during your service?

I have intermediate and higher qualifications in mechanics, and I am currently working towards B1 in English.

What high school diploma and/or degree is the best for joining the mountain infantry?

It makes no difference. There is no preference based on your educational background when joining the unit.

Is it difficult to study for promotions or competitive exams while serving in the unit?

I can study without any problem, and I am not particularly gifted at studying. So my answer is: "If you want to, you certainly can." Once you have some seniority, the unit helps you with this.

What made you choose the unit you are in?

I wanted to join the army to serve Spain and the Spanish people, to prevent atrocities in the world like those in previous conflicts, to be prepared for what might be demanded of me, and to give my maximum performance.

I didn't join for the "handout", I joined to work as a professional soldier, so I could not think of a better posting than one of the oldest regiments in history, the RI Galicia 64 Cazadores, a historic source of pride for our army and a special force at high readiness. Here, each and every one of us is very proud of who we are and what we do.

The Cazadores are known to be a good unit due to their preparation for most of the qualities required for the special operations course for access to the MOE. Is it true?

Yes, it is true. Many of our commanders and soldiers take the course as soon as they can, since this unit prepares you physically and mentally to face it.

How did you prepare physically and mentally to enter this unit?

Let's say I'm not a physical specimen, I used to work as a mechanic, I had to start exercising six months before reporting to CEFOT, but still, they won't kill you here for not being in shape, they push you to improve and reach the required level, but in a progressive manner.

Is any prior knowledge of climbing, mountaineering, or skiing required before entering the unit?

No prior knowledge is required. Commanders and longer-serving members of the unit with mountain qualifications will teach you from scratch here. 

What do you like most about the unit?

What I like the most about this unit is how approachable the commanders are. It is like a big family; we are all united as one. Additionally, the geographical location of the unit is in a beautiful place, and in a city that adapts very well to the required needs. It is not poorly located and makes it much easier to adapt to it, even if one wanted to come with the family.

What do you like least about the unit?

In my opinion, it is a bit outdated in combat tactics; I even wonder whether the commanders avoid more complex exercises with live ammunition because of the risk of someone being injured.

When on maneuvers, do you conduct joint exercises with other units?

Yes, we do them, even with foreign units, mostly playing the opposing force because we are very effective in open-field tactics and good at skirmishes. We also act as allies, and the goal is for the units to work together regarding strategies and ways to carry out the different actions as established by the army, for example, one unit correctly relieving another at an observation post.

Once in the unit, what or who determines your function? For example, who would carry the machine gun (MG)?

It depends on the commander. A committed commander would study his squad and decide who to assign the equipment to. A commander who cares less would assign it by seniority or to mess with someone, since the only nice thing about the MGs is shooting them because then carrying and cleaning them is a bit of a chore.

How is the issue of cold addressed?

Well, here we have several factors, the first being the economic factor, here you have to come with the awareness that you are going to spend a lot on winter gear, thermal clothing, jetboil, etc. It is a demanding environment and you need equipment up to the job, do not be scared by the economic expense, as everyone spends according to their tastes and economic conditions. 

Secondly, there is the morale factor, never fall into apathy, do not let yourselves go, you must always keep your spirits high, change your socks and T-shirt and feel great. Take in the views and be amazed by them; take your mind off things and keep your spirits from dropping. 

We also have the physical factor: moving, even while standing still, constantly bending the knees, moving the arms, the wrists, not letting the heat drop, wearing more or fewer layers to suit each person. Acclimatize when you are in the barracks or in the city, do not dress warmly up to your ears, dress lightly so that your body can acclimate properly and then you won't have problems. 

Last but not least is the maintenance factor: this is where we need to take care of ourselves. When we stop, we put on warm clothing; when we are on the move, we wear what we need to avoid sweating and then having that sweat freeze. We make broths or teas and carry them in a thermos to sip on and keep warm, etc.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Well, let's say you must arrive fully aware of "what you're coming for". This is not a job like any other, here you come to be a SOLDIER and to be the ELITE, you have to be aware that there are colleagues who are here because they love their job and those who only come for economic interest are not looked upon favorably here and they see through you quickly, keep that clear, we are few and we know each other well.

My main piece of advice? Be alert, approach things with energy and joy, wake up in the mornings ready to give your all, have courage and bravery. It is also very important to have respect for your superiors and longer-serving colleagues, they have been around longer, observe them, see what they do and how they do it, be clever and always be prepared, don't let them catch you off guard, it is better for them to tell you to undo something than to tell you to do it.

In sports, don't give up, maintain good physical shape constantly, and take care of yourself, or else you will struggle to keep up with the pace later. 

Another tip, boots for going out, for being at home, in short for almost everything, put them on, so your feet get used to them. Come on, no jokes, I've been wearing boots practically since I was born and I can't say I've ever gotten a single blister, but you need to know how you walk and where you might get chafing to be able to prevent it.

Here you will find people who have to walk sideways because of the number of medals they wear on their chest, all of them filled with value, experience, courage, and HONESTY. That’s why you have to earn all those pieces of advice, anecdotes that each of them can share, to become the best, and believe me, here you will be because for the Galicia Cazadores it is ¡VENCER O MORIR!

If you want to enter the Military Academies for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (both in the Direct Access mode and in Access by Promotion), check sermilitar.com for the material available to prepare for entry, or visit the online store compra.sermilitar.com

Tactical material in sermilitar.store