Colorado Airman pushes limits, places first in Slovenian biathlon – DVIDS

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Esmeralda Ayala, supply technician, 140th Logistic Readiness Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard demonstrated that getting out of your comfort zone, and pushing your limits is essential when it comes to personal development and growth, whether it be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

“Throughout my time in the military, God has placed me in scenarios where I’ve had to push through challenges, make ways that weren’t possible before, and lead others when I didn’t think I was capable,” she said. “My time in the military has taken me to places and scenarios that were entirely out of my comfort zone, and Slovenia was one of them.”

Through the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, the Colorado National Guard conducts military-to-military and military-to-civilian engagements in support of security cooperation goals, but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader inter-agency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic, and social spheres. While attending an SPP event with the CONG’s partner, the Republic of Slovenia, Ayala found out she would be competing in the annual Non-commissioned Officer Winter Camp, held March 17-25, 2023.

The camp, hosted by the Slovenian Armed Forces, has taken place in the mountains of Slovenia each year since 2008.

Since its inception at a 2007 NATO conference in Garmisch, Germany, the event was intended to foster and support relations between friendly nations while also exchanging knowledge and military skills within the NCO corps.

Ayala said that when she and the other participants arrived at Camp Pokljuka (a training facility for activities such as skiing, avalanche response, and search and rescue), it was only rumored that they might participate in the event. It wasn’t until after Nordic and cross-country skiing, avalanche, and search and rescue training that they were told that they would compete in a winter camp biathlon.

The participants, consisting of 28 NCOs from 22 different countries, were split into three categories with two instructors for each group: no ski experience; experienced; advanced.

“I’ve always been active in powerlifting, samba dancing, and hiking, but cross-country skiing is a different animal,” Ayala said. “Skiing and navigating through the spring snow in the mountains throughout our training helped with the preparation. Still, most of it was all stamina and control of breathing.”

The events that Ayala competed in included skiing throughout a circular course, throwing fake grenades at a target, skiing the course again, and, finally, proceeding to the rifle marksmanship portion.

“My greatest challenge was the pain I had to push through to compete,” she said.

During the mountain training leading up to the event, she suffered a fall while skiing a steep slope resulting in a minor sprain in her left ankle and some pain in her left medial collateral ligament. “I ended up folding like a pretzel with my skis still intact,” she said.

“My body sometimes screamed to stop, but I kept praying to God to help me through it, and he did!”

She successfully landed one out of three fake grenades on the target and four out of five shots in the marksmanship portion before crossing the finish line.

After Ayala came in first place in the women’s division, a Slovenian Armed Forces sergeant major double-coined her.

“If anyone has a chance to participate in this State Partnership Program with Slovenia and can go to this NCO Winter Camp, go.” she said, “Slovenia is a beautiful country. Slovenia’s military is super tough with their mountaineer background. Still, they were also professional and super attentive. They ensured that all of us were always cared for.”