OCTOBER 30, 2025 – When the snow melts off the Sierra Nevada peaks and the trails reopen, the Marines and Sailors at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center trade skis for ropes, packs, and rock faces. Among them, a handful of instructors wearing bright red helmets guide the way.
Known as Red Hats, these instructors spend their summers leading students through rugged terrain, river crossings, and sheer climbs, teaching not just survival, but leadership and confidence in the mountains.
“I didn’t know them as Red Hats at first,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Eve Waterman, an instructor with MCMWTC. “I saw a billet open in Bridgeport and applied almost on a whim. Once I heard more about it, the challenge, the isolation, how tough it was, I wanted to come here even more.”
Set across 46,000 acres of the Toiyabe National Forest, the MCMWTC becomes a living classroom each summer. Students spend long days hiking, climbing, and learning to navigate the unpredictable mountain environment.
“I get paid to climb cliffs, go hiking, and carry heavy packs up big hills with the Marines,” Waterman said. “That’s what every good corpsman wants to do … a little bit.”
For the Red Hats, teaching isn’t confined to lesson plans or checklists. Every rope knot, water crossing, and steep trail becomes an exercise in judgment and teamwork.
“The Red Hat Course forces you to meet difficult challenges,” Waterman said. “If you pass, you’ve proven resilience. At some point, everyone is outside their comfort zone, but that’s how we grow.”
Summer training at MCMWTC blends physical toughness with mental growth. Red Hat instructors emphasize problem-solving and initiative as much as endurance.
“No, we’re not all about bullets flying,” Waterman said. “It’s about being placed in a situation where your resources and your people are all you have.”
Living and working year-round in the mountains, Red Hats immerse themselves in the same terrain they teach in. Many spend off-hours climbing, trail running, or exploring nearby ridges to refine their skills. That dedication, Waterman said, gives students a deeper sense of trust. “Without the experience that comes from actually living up here, you can’t teach this right,” she said. “Most of us make this our life.”
Even after long days on the slopes and in the field, Waterman finds beauty in her surroundings and satisfaction in her work.
“When I stand at the top of Big Face and my students are rappelling down, crushing it, I just look out and see Tower Peak, the Walker River Valley, and all the High Peaks,” she said. “If this is ‘The Office,’ then I’ve got a pretty good job.”
Each year, the Red Hats train thousands of Marines, joint-service members, and even our allies and partners to master the skills needed to operate in complex terrain. Their instruction ensures units return to their home stations more capable, confident, and connected. For Waterman, that’s the reward. “The mountain teaches you humility,” she said. “But it also shows you what you’re capable of when you work together.”
Story by Cpl. Iris Gantt
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center