Boabrat
09-19-2003, 09:16 AM
Howdy all,
I know that eople have irrational fears, and many have those towards snakes and other reptiles. Well this happened about four years ago at my National Guard Armoury and I found it to be amusing.
First off, the sergeant first class this story is mainly about is a PT (physical training) guru. Large, muscle bound, poster child soldier basically. He now has close to 20 years in service, and he has earned my respect several times over.
It was a Christmas get together at our armoury, family and friends were invited. We had food, holiday music and some presents to give any kids that may arrive. One o our soldiers who lived localy decided to bring in his pet to show it off to everyone, a 14 foot albino burmese python. As he walked into the frot foyer doors, the old sergeant took one look at the large reptile and let out a oud scream. The half dozen people in the room were all startled by him first, the snake second. The serg burst through the inner door to the main hall, closing it behind him. Instead of just leaving or anything like that, he stood there, holding the double doors closed. He would not move or let either door open until the battalion commander assured him te snake was back out in a vehicle in the parking lot.
About a year and a half later, we were out training in the woods of central Florida, and we came across a whole slew of rattlesnake babies. There was the serg, once again facig wat I think is his biggest fear, snakes. He earned my respect once more when he refused to alow one person to harm any of the rattlesnakes. Instead he got myself and two other felas to catch each one of them (26 total, all around 2-3 feet in length) and load them into the back of his Hummer. He rode with us as we took the snakes nearly 20 miles away from where we were setting up camp. He had us offload the two garbage cans full of rattling reptiles and promptly drove darn near half a mile away. He told us not to let one snake out until he honked the horn, which he did from so far away we could barey hear it. Once we released the snakes into a small gulley, he waited for us to walk to him. This set a precident, and since then I have participated in transporting near 100 snakes from sites we were going into to occupy for traiing to safer places away from our locations. Rattlers, Kingsnakes, Rat snakes and even an alligator a couple times.
Anyhow, just a little story hat happened to me.
Regards
John (SPC US Army National Guard, Florida)
I know that eople have irrational fears, and many have those towards snakes and other reptiles. Well this happened about four years ago at my National Guard Armoury and I found it to be amusing.
First off, the sergeant first class this story is mainly about is a PT (physical training) guru. Large, muscle bound, poster child soldier basically. He now has close to 20 years in service, and he has earned my respect several times over.
It was a Christmas get together at our armoury, family and friends were invited. We had food, holiday music and some presents to give any kids that may arrive. One o our soldiers who lived localy decided to bring in his pet to show it off to everyone, a 14 foot albino burmese python. As he walked into the frot foyer doors, the old sergeant took one look at the large reptile and let out a oud scream. The half dozen people in the room were all startled by him first, the snake second. The serg burst through the inner door to the main hall, closing it behind him. Instead of just leaving or anything like that, he stood there, holding the double doors closed. He would not move or let either door open until the battalion commander assured him te snake was back out in a vehicle in the parking lot.
About a year and a half later, we were out training in the woods of central Florida, and we came across a whole slew of rattlesnake babies. There was the serg, once again facig wat I think is his biggest fear, snakes. He earned my respect once more when he refused to alow one person to harm any of the rattlesnakes. Instead he got myself and two other felas to catch each one of them (26 total, all around 2-3 feet in length) and load them into the back of his Hummer. He rode with us as we took the snakes nearly 20 miles away from where we were setting up camp. He had us offload the two garbage cans full of rattling reptiles and promptly drove darn near half a mile away. He told us not to let one snake out until he honked the horn, which he did from so far away we could barey hear it. Once we released the snakes into a small gulley, he waited for us to walk to him. This set a precident, and since then I have participated in transporting near 100 snakes from sites we were going into to occupy for traiing to safer places away from our locations. Rattlers, Kingsnakes, Rat snakes and even an alligator a couple times.
Anyhow, just a little story hat happened to me.
Regards
John (SPC US Army National Guard, Florida)