The annual Alamo Scouts Association Meeting & Reunion was held from 20-24 June in Seattle. Although still reeling over the recent loss of beloved Scout Wilbur Littlefield and others, abundant sunshine, a little rain, and a lot of smiles set the stage for one of the most enjoyable meetings ever. On Thursday, the Green Berets of the 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (formerly Ft. Lewis), rolled out the red carpet and treated the group to a mind blowing day of fun. Our first stop was a briefing and hands-on demonstration of the Stryker, the Army's $3 million infantry combat vehicle series. As if the Stryker tour wasn't enough, we were then ushered through the 1st SF Group training facility for a private tour. The dual purpose training and rehab facility is the finest in the U.S. Army and puts any Division I college's weightroom to shame. Of course, everything is customized for that perfect touch of espirit de corps. As everyone knows, Army training is the best thing for working up an appetite. And what better way to satisfy it than eating lunch with the Special Forces at their chow hall. It was soul food day, and the menu was packed with ribs, chicken, rice, burgers, fries, and every other 3000 calorie meal known to every man, woman, and beast. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed it. But better yet, we had the pleasure of eating with some of the finest soldiers in the world--young men and women of the 1st Special Forces Group who deploy to dangerous places around the globe so we can sleep safe and continue to enjoy the things we enjoy. Who-ah! After a little weightlifting (5-pound meal included), the group met with CPT Anthony Aguilar, CPT Noel Sioson (grand-nephew of Alamo Scout Rafael Ileto), and COL Brian Vines, the SF commander. Following a presentation of Special Forces coins to Alamo Scout Bob Buschur and Filipina guerrilla Eunice Carvajal, CPT Aguilar demonstrated some of the latest SF equipment and weapons and allowed the group to sample the wares, including the 40-lb flak vest and the .50 cal. sniper rifle (unloaded of course), and other various and sundry weapons.
The highlight of the day was a demonstration of the Special Forces working dogs, starring Rico, who is trained to do about anything in three languages; Dutch, English, and German. Whether it's sniffing out hidden IEDs or meeting other potential or actual threats, Rico is the dog for the job. Note the forward deployed camera on his back.
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