US soldiers train for jungle warfare in Hawaii rainforest

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Audrey Mcavoy, Associated Press Updated 6:33 pm, Thursday, March 16, 2017






HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. Army soldiers finished wading across a stream in a rainforest in Hawaii, and they were soaked. Their boots and socks were water-logged and their clothes, hair and ears were caked with mud.

The soldiers were going through training at the first jungle school the Army has established in decades. The course is part of a program to train soldiers for exercises and potential combat on terrain that looks more like islands and nations in the Pacific than arid Afghanistan and the deserts of the Middle East.

Brig. Gen. Stephen Michael, deputy commander of the 25th Infantry Division, said the Army set up the school as its footprint was shrinking in Iraq and Afghanistan after more than a decade of war in those countries.

"The jungle school gives us that focus, it reinforces that we're in the Pacific," Michael said. "If you're in the 25th, you understand you got to fight in the tough environment of the Pacific."




Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/US-soldiers-train-for-jungle-warfare-at-Hawaii-11005679.php

[GulfCoast66]

1. That's just bad-assed, regardless of your politics

Though a liberal, I am glad we have men and women willing to defend this country.

I just wish we had political leaders who would use them to truly defend this country, not use them to expand our economic or political power.

But regardless, I respect that guy.

[Hoyt]

2. Guess Trump is planning to invade Vietnam again, another innocent country.

Personally, I prefer the Peace Corps.

[bluedigger]

4. Started in 2013.

Thanks, Obama!

[4bucksagallon]

3. Now I wonder where the Army thinks our soldiers are going to next.

I did hear President Bannon say we would be at war in the South Pacific within 5 years.

[PufPuf23]

6. Islands in South China Sea maybe to maintain free shipping lanes

Then Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia as China attempts to expand sphere of dominance.

One major downside of Trump is that the situation begs for competitive nations to test the resolve and capabilities of the USA.

[4bucksagallon]

8. This should not be our problem. After all DU30 President of the PI said he would personally....

go and plant the Philippines flag on those islands in the Scarborough shoals and reclaim them for the Philippines. The Chinese are not going to try to stop free shipping unless they want to start a major war over shipping. They do want the rich resources of the oil, NG, minerals and fish that are in the SC seas.. Not sure they want to go to war over shipping though, in fact I doubt it. We should not be helping out any of these countries like the Philippines that don't show any interest in being an ally. Let them deal with the Chinese their own way. IOW's ef them, Duterte has proven to be just as crazy as DJ Trump....

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Preparing to take over the world. Is this 1939?

[Judi Lynn]

11. Surely sounds that way. Sad, and stupid, not to mention "soulless." n/t

[A Round Tuit]

13. What the fuck..."soulless"?

Soldiers train for missions they have and for the missions they MAY have.

To not maintain proficiency in a necessary skill set is "soulless".

Who is sad...who is stupid?

The soldiers...sad because they have to train?

Stupid...because they train...in an environment that they may have to operate?

"Soulless"? The only soulless ones around here are those such as you that cry and moan and bleat when soldiers are revealed to have been training...yet are the first ones to scream when the mission goes wrong because they did not train effectively enough.

You sit in your ivory tower and dare to criticize soldiers training for war...calling them sad, stupid and "soulless".

What a pity.

Let me paraphrase something someone once said: You can sleep soundly in your bed, because rough men (and women) are prepared to do what is necessary to protect you from a threat that would prevent you from sleeping soundly in your bed. And your ability to sit in your lofty spire and criticize the fact that they do train and that they have such missions.

Got nothing to do with politics...got everything to do with maintaining an order in this world, that could not, would not be possible, nor would it exist, without these "soulless", sad and stupid men and women training for what ever may come up.

Pitiful.

[LanternWaste]

14. A can only imagine your frustration at someone's opinion that war is not a good thing.

A can only imagine your frustration at someone's opinion that war is not a good thing.

Pitiful, indeed.

[A Round Tuit]

15. War is never a good thing...

But calling those that must train for the eventuality of it by calling them sad, stupid and soulless is even less of a good thing.

Who asked you, anyway?

[NWCorona]

7. I'm glad but IMHO we should have made a deal to keep Fort Sherman.

The amount of things that could kill you, big and small, were plentiful. Then there's the howler monkeys and the black palm trees. I just can't see Hawaii being comparable to Panama.


I bet tab junkies are excited as this time the tab can be worn Army wide.

[Brother Buzz]

9. Hawaii may not be comparable to Panama, but....

it's a damn sight closer to reality than Fort Polk.

[NWCorona]

10. I've never been to Polk. Do you mean JRTC training?

I wasn't really bagging on Hawaii either but I can't see them having a "Green Hell" there.

[Brother Buzz]

12. I'm thinking 'Tigerland'...

the small portion of Fort Polk 'simulated' jungle conditions. It was filled with dense, jungle-like vegetation, and coupled with Louisiana's heat, humidity and rain (similar to Southeast Asia), it was used to helped commanders acclimatize new infantry soldiers in preparation for combat in Vietnam.


I've never been there either; I had basic and AIT in opulent Fort Ord before they shipped me overseas. Hell, I grew up in a fog belt so I loved it.

[Aristus]

16. Way to let your rifle drag in the water, scrub.

He's going to catch hell for that...