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

[RebelBanker]

There was a pack animal class taught at Ft. Bragg for the SF types. No idea if it is still around. Couple of characters in my unit (20th SFG) attended it.

[bnelson44]

Equestrian Life - Military Mounts at Fort Bragg
From equine ambassadors to military trainers, the horses of Fort Bragg serve important jobs for our country.

http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-exclusives/Fort-Bragg-military-horses.aspx

[USMCWife6869]

I remember reading something about them using camels out here in the Arizona desert to bring supplies to miners. I don't like camels myself. One bit me when I went to a petting zoo as a child. The idea of a Special Forces soldier on a camel or a llama makes me giggle though.

[LibWhacker]

Indeed, there's an admonition on the cover page to "destroy by any method" so as to prevent disclosure.

How to handle pack animals is classified, lol?!?

Okay, okay, there might be reasons for it. It just made me laugh.

[LegendHasIt]

I sort of, vaguely remember running across an already old FM on the subject back in the 70s... I think it was written about the time of WWII, maybe even earlier.

Don't remember hearing about any classes on it, but then, in those days, they thought all of us were at least 2/3 pack mule anyway.

[Bender2]

Re: ...Stealthy, Deadly and Now Handy With a Llama

The most accurate .45 pistol I ever owned...

The Llama... Omni!

[Redcitizen]

Just what I was thinking!!

[combat_boots]

Watch the "September Tapes" to see a real demonstration of how the enemy uses horses.

This documentary was spliced together from tapes recorded by a man who went looking for Bin Laden after 9/11.

Sometimes tedious, it nevertheless shows actual footage, and is worth watching for various reasons.

[LonePalm]

I always liked Fernando Llamas

He was marvelous.

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)

[Bender2]

I could cut 'edge on' playing cards in two at 25 yards with that old .45 cal honey!

That is either shooting inside or when there was little or no wind...

BTW, sad to say, I wore it out as Llama discontinued it and parts were impossible to find...

[LonePalm]

Ooops, wrong picture. This is Fernando Llamas

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)

[Calvin Locke]

The US Army was looking at using camels, even had a herd of them. Then the Civil War broke out, and the camels were released into the wild out West someplace.

Supposedly, an occasional camel was spotted into the 20th century.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

You might find this link interesting:

http://www.desertusa.com/mag05/sep/camel.html

[Bender2]

Re: I always liked Fernando Llamas...

Yes! For a dead man... He looks mahvelous!

And no... He did not die in bed with a llama...

[presidio9]

[LonePalm]

Well, Hello Dali! I wish you could be back where you belong.

Here's another picture.

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)

[USMCWife6869]

I did, thanks.

[Slings and Arrows]

The Llama Song!

"Look out! There are llamas!"

[presidio9]