Why do some Soldiers still mess around with the wildlife during training?

CPT Jacob Swartout — Sat, 24 May 2014 08:49:50 -0400

Despite warnings from posted signs, leadership and range control to not to touch or mess around with the wildlife (snakes, wild hogs, predator birds, fire ants, scorpions, coyotes, etc.) they still do it at their own risk.

A friend at Ft Carson watched another soldier "some what" knock out a 4 ft snake, pick it up by the tail, whirl it around his head and then launch it into the woods.

What have you seen or heard?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2014 11:02 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 May 2014 11:02:47 -0400

Sir I wish I had an answer for you, here at Fort Irwin I know the Soldiers stationed here know better, as for the RTU when they come through, I would just hope that they know better.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2014 11:05 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 May 2014 11:05:49 -0400

Not gonna lie Sir, I had a good chuckle at your snake twirling story. I would have to say a good mixture of boredom, curiosity, and rebellion.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made May 24 at 2014 11:35 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:50 -0400

Simple answer to your posting sir, they are stupid!

Response by MSG Brad Sand made May 24 at 2014 1:49 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Sat, 24 May 2014 13:49:54 -0400

I was doing some work for JTF6 on the US/Mexico border and I hear two of my men and they had found a nest of baby sidewinder rattlesnakes…and they are messing with them! My first thought is that if there are a nest of babies, there is a pissed off mother somewhere close? Got soldiers and snakes apart before anyone got into trouble. It was really a good thing no one ended up getting bit, we were hours from any kind of support or medical aid.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 24 at 2014 2:09 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Sat, 24 May 2014 14:09:07 -0400

While I was stationed at Fort Drum we were doing a FTX and I was under my poncho in the rain trying to get a few minutes sleep between feeding and pulling radio watch. Evidently I looked comfortable to the native inhabitants of the woodline we were in. Sometime during my nap a raccoon curled up on my chest and went to sleep. Somewhere a buddy of mine has a picture of this which he showed me, I guess I was able to sleep through this encounter with nature because of a dog I used to own who liked sleeping on my chest. If I hadn't seen the picture I would not have believed it. This is just one example of the wildlife messing with soldiers who encroached on their territory.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2014 4:39 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 May 2014 16:39:16 -0400

Because they haven't been bit yet. During land nav exercises, I have run into many snakes, and have just walked around them. I don't need to have that thrill of messing with creatures.

Response by Cpl Ray Fernandez made May 24 at 2014 11:38 PM

Cpl Ray Fernandez — Sat, 24 May 2014 23:38:51 -0400

Some people require adult supervision. I've learned that as annoying as it is to get all those common sense warnings about not doing somethings, there have been multiple incidents of them happening enough to have to put the warning out there. Ask medics and Corpsman what type of animal inflicted injuries they most commonly encounter and it's those to the arms and face because someone decided to screw around with an animal and got stung, bitten, scratched, or whatever other injury they received.

Response by CPL Jay Strickland made May 25 at 2014 12:28 AM

CPL Jay Strickland — Sun, 25 May 2014 00:28:35 -0400

Sir I recommend this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrmTqDJd8iA

Steve irwin

The great man with his pet

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made May 25 at 2014 8:33 AM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 25 May 2014 08:33:13 -0400

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" Sir Isaac Newton had no idea this applied to military leadership as well as physics.

You tell the group "NO" and there are always 1 or 2 in the crowd, who like 2 year olds, are going to do it anyway just to push the envelope.(and most likely your buttons as well) Been there, had it done to me and have the article 15 paperwork to prove it.

Response by SSG Mark Ives made May 25 at 2014 9:42 PM

SSG Mark Ives — Sun, 25 May 2014 21:42:58 -0400

While I was at Ft Sill, OK in the early 80's, we had a tarantula migration across one of the ranges. An entire section of one of the range roads disappeared under a moving brown blanket of 10's of thousands of the hairy spiders. Of course a couple friends and I thought it'd be cool to go out there and catch some of them. Looking back, I'm surprised we didn't get bit. No, alcohol was not involved!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2014 10:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 May 2014 22:16:41 -0400

Because deep down a lot of soldiers are still six years old. I was the medical support for a range on Camp Pendleton for three different units. We got the safety brief about not messing with the wildlife and if something or someone crosses in to the range we will call a cease fire until it's all clear. Sure enough, a buffalo wandered on to the range the back way over by my FLA and the LMTV holding the MRE's. Range shut down, people cleared the bleachers with their cameras in hand and started swarming the area around the buffalo. We're yelling for everyone to get back in to their seats. The buffalo then went around the truck running across the lanes and over the hills. The entire time I'm thinking, I don't have nearly enough medical supplies to fix this amount of stupid if that buffalo decided to charge the group.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Dec 26 at 2017 10:38 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 22:38:45 -0500

CPT Jacob Swartout I Don't Mess with Wildlife it Messes with Me. Watched a Nurse Shark do figure 8s between my Legs. I did Mess with a Cleaner Shrimp once forgetting that they tend to be house maids for other messier eaters, Yeah a Moral Eel shot out of the Hole to Protect it's "Maid". Had Fun Once Moving Boxes of Paper in the Storage Facility in Makalapa Crater Picked Up a box and one of the Girls Screamed, I Dropped the Box and started backpeddling and damned if she didn't scream again. There was a Scorpion on the Box, Crushed it When I Dropped It and there was one Behind Me, He was squished on the Bottom of My Heel.

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Jan 7 at 2018 8:17 PM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:17:05 -0500

Because we can!! Hey ya'll watch this! Better to learn the wild life than go screaming away life a baby.