Army Special Forces: Stealthy, Deadly and Now Handy With a Llama

Washington Post ^ | Monday, February 5, 2007 | Al Kamen

[presidio9]

After the Korean War, the Army gave up pack animals for trucks, planes and choppers to transport troops and equipment. But recently -- remember those folks on horseback routing the Taliban in Afghanistan? -- it's become clear that Special Forces might find themselves needing horses, mules and donkeys, and perhaps the occasional camel or llama, to move around.

But who remembers how to deal with these critters? No problem. Couple years ago the Army put together a 225-page field manual -- "Special Forces Use of Pack Animals" -- that provides a comprehensive overview on the care and feeding and uses of four-legged transportation, especially horses and mules.

"This manual," it reads, "provides the techniques of animal pack transport for organizing and operating pack animal units. It captures some of the expertise and techniques that have been lost in the United States Army over the last 50 years."

Secrecy News, which got a copy of the manual, says it has "not been approved for public release." Indeed, there's an admonition on the cover page to "destroy by any method" so as to prevent disclosure.

The manual also dispels the bad raps some animals have gotten. For example, "camels are clumsy-looking, rather ugly animals, and have a lousy reputation because they are believed to spit and kick at people. This perception is not accurate because

[flying Elvis]

One showed up in the battle of Corinth as a mascot for the 43rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, but he later lost his life in the seige of Vicksburg.

[LonePalm]

No relation to

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[presidio9]

London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS)

[Redcitizen]

There was some new Llama .45s for sale these past few years. I saw em at the local gunshop for 250 2 yrs ago. At a gunshow here in Albuquerque, they were selling for 450 nowadays.

If you still have it, Numrich gun parts has a huge catalog where you might find parts for it.

[presidio9]

Dr. Fernard Lamaze

[antiRepublicrat]

This perception is not accurate because

Really? Tell that to the camel that spit, farted and kicked at me. Nasty animals.

[Billthedrill]

"Llieutenant Llewellyn? Llogistics is on the lline - the llaser illlluminators are going to be dellivered llate..."

[kiriath_jearim]

"The US Army was looking at using camels, even had a herd of them..

****
That was one of Jefferson Davis' ambitions as Secretary of War during Franklin Pierce's presidency.

[antiRepublicrat]

The credits have been completed in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute.

Executive Producer
JOHN GOLDSTONE & "RALPH" The Wonder Llama
Producer
MARK FORSTATER
Assisted By
EARL J. LLAMA
MIKE Q. LLAMA III
SY LLAMA
MERLE Z. LLAMA IX
Directed By
40 SPECIALLY TRAINED ECUADORIAN MOUNTAIN LLAMAS
6 VENEZUELAN RED LLAMAS
142 MEXICAN WHOOPING LLAMAS
14 NORTH CHILEAN GUANACOS (CLOSELY RELATED TO THE LLAMA)
REG LLAMA OF BRIXTON
76000 BATTERY LLAMAS FROM "LLAMA-FRESH" FARMS LTD. NEAR PARAGUAY
and
TERRY GILLIAM & TERRY JONES

[kiriath_jearim]

"Well, Hello Dali! I wish you could be back where you belong.
Here's another picture."

***
Those watches! Are...are..those Tagheuers?

[LexBaird]

"The llama is a quadruped which lives in the big rivers like the Amazon. It has two ears, a heart, a forehead, and a beak for eating honey. But it is provided with fins for swimming.
Llamas are larger than frogs.
Llamas are dangerous, so if you see one where people are swimming, you shout...
Look out, there are llamas! "

[SoCal Pubbie]

"After the Korean War, the Army gave up pack animals for trucks, planes and choppers"

I thought that went out in WWII.

[Ax]

I was playing Santa Claus at the U.S. Embassy compound in Jeddah about 25 years ago. I had the Marines' suit on, and was perched on the bed of a Toyota pickup. The camel they rented was very young and spooked very easily. The parents plopped their kids on my knees for a photo-op. As we were finishing, the young camel took a dump all over my Gucci loafers. I should have put the fake costume boots on.

[pax_et_bonum]

Llamas of Mass Destruction Ping

[magslinger]

Animal, Pack, Llama type, Desert Pattern, Quantity One (1) Each.

[Lil'freeper]

Llamas are cute and comic animals. Who wouldn't like a story about a llama? I am just sick to death of reading stuff like this:

Secrecy News, which got a copy of the manual, says it has "not been approved for public release."

day in and day out. Little secrets, big secrets, absurd ones, scary ones. They're all fair game it seems in a race to publish them. Like it's some great public service. This has got to stop.

[sully777]

I hope they don't hurt the llamas