Pack Mule Course with 101st Preparing to Head to AFG

[The Bread Guy]

The pam is publicly available, BTW - download link here:
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/56424.0

This, courtesy of the Fort Campbell Courier:

The Afghanistan terrain can be a harsh and unforgiving obstacle for Soldiers. However, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division recently attended a pack mule training course at Fort Campbell to help combat this issue.

During the course, Soldiers were able to learn key things to look for when purchasing a pack animal, how to take care of the animal, packing the animal and warning signs.

Bastogne Soldiers discovered the importance of finding a healthy animal that is both old enough and strong enough to navigate through mountainous terrain thanks to the help of Retired Master Sgt. Larry Jones of 5th Special Forces Group.

“The idea is to teach Soldiers what to look for in an animal so they won’t get ripped off,” said1st Lt. Emily Kelistahl, 426th Brigade Support Battalion maintenance platoon leader ....

Attached photo by Spc. Richard Daniels Jr., 1st BCT

More on CAN trying (and rejecting) pack animals here:
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/88896.0
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/82039.0

 

[Jammer]

I've heard that their instructors were asses....

 

[The Bread Guy]

Wow, only eight minutes into the downward spiral.....  ;D

 

[Jammer]

Mom always said I was an overacheeever

 

[Shec]

The animal in the pic looks like a donkey to me, I think mules are taller.  Hope they learn how to distinguish between breeds before Honest Abdul's Premium Used Pack Mules makes donkeys out of the Yanks:

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.differencebetween.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/mule.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-donkey-and-mule/&usg=__fD0OuVdrv1Pm7B5qhjzwNKKUpfM=&h=173&w=200&sz=23&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=1z9vtz8zj1YJ7M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddonkey%2Bvs%2Bmule%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1