Discussion Topic |
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 12, 2014 - 05:53pm PT
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I have long said that my service with the Seventh Special Forces Group from 1962 to 1965 was instrumental in my development as an alpine climber. I was not only introduced to climbing then but I learned valuable lessons that have served me well thru the rest of my life.
I learned:
How to suffer....a valuable trait for any alpinist.
How to access an objective and then strategize and develop tactics to accomplish the objective.
The value of good teammates (partners). Perhaps the most important factor in alpinisim.
So I was pleased to be asked to address the graduating class of the Special Forces Mountain School conducted in Fort Carson, Co. by the Tenth Special Forces Group.
The course was six weeks long. The participants were from the various Special Forces Groups. They will now be able to instruct other service men and women.
It took me 49 years to be able to "give back" a little for the training I received.
The plaque that they presented to me and my wife Angela for our participation will find prominent display space in my home.
Keep in mind, these words are coming from an ST poster who has always been on the very liberal
side of the political spectrum. You don't have to be a flag waving gun nut to want to serve your nation.
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Gilroy
Social climber
Bolderado
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:04pm PT
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Might as well.... Hell, it's nearly Flag Day. Great post, Jim, because so many think of you as an OT topic kinda' guy. :)
It's amazing how a little military service can make you feel so beholden to your country. I was never a flag-waver but feel very patriotic since "wearing the green" during wartime. I began to understand how much I was taking for granted. You know, as a white middle-class male.
Thanks for 'giving back." In so many ways.
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CClarke
climber
La Paz, Bolivia
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:08pm PT
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Thanks for posting that Jim.
My son just got his ranger tab and is stationed at Fort Carson where he is leading a Stryker platoon.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:10pm PT
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A proud day for you, Jim. You earned it and deserve it. Congrats!
You cleaned up pretty darn good, too. Maybe not Navy clean but we'll overlook that. :-)
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mrtropy
Trad climber
Nor Cal
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:11pm PT
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Very Nice!!!
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mtnyoung
Trad climber
Twain Harte, California
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:47pm PT
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Excellent post.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:49pm PT
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Cool. But who's that guy in the beige slacks and the white button-down?
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:51pm PT
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AWESOME Mr Jim!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Jun 12, 2014 - 06:59pm PT
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MR. Donini! I'm proud to see you back talking to Special Forces!
Congrats!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:00pm PT
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I salute you Donini
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WBraun
climber
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:04pm PT
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Jim Donini the quintessential all American .......
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:08pm PT
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Never served myself, Jim, but you did and that is admirable.
Nice job talking to the younger pups!!!
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:12pm PT
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Great Jim! You look like you were really enjoying yourself too.
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Michelle
Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:27pm PT
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That is too awesome!
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lostinshanghai
Social climber
someplace
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:44pm PT
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Great Donini,
Thought for sure in an earlier post you had served with the 7th.
Just wondering did you get down south and play at Fort Gulick.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Jun 12, 2014 - 07:59pm PT
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Jim that is awesome. I bet they probably learned some things from you about perserveance.
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murcy
Gym climber
sanfrancisco
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Jun 12, 2014 - 09:02pm PT
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Great TR
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Flip Flop
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Jun 12, 2014 - 09:50pm PT
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Thank you for serving and sharing. I'm a pro-draft ( or civil service) lefty progressive. Your social consciousness is evident and admirable. Thanks again.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jun 12, 2014 - 09:57pm PT
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I had to scroll down to the second and third pic to figure out which one was Mr Donini.
He looks like he could suit up with these guys today, even though he probably dated some of their grandmothers.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jun 12, 2014 - 11:48pm PT
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Well done.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jun 13, 2014 - 12:02am PT
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This is so cool!
I agree with what you said about serving Jim. Perfect.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Jun 13, 2014 - 12:07am PT
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Very well done. You are a rare individual, Jim.
As for being a liberal in a gun-toting society, I give you Thoreau.
Thoreau writes in concluding Walden,
"If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away."
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Jun 13, 2014 - 01:44am PT
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Coolaboola Jim.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jun 13, 2014 - 02:01am PT
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Yes, congratulations!
My favorite students all those years I taught the military, were Special Forces. SF, climbers and anthropologists do indeed share a lot of similar experiences. They were always the ones who could really appreciate my stories about Nepal and when I was having stomach problems after a field trip, it was SF medics who could help me out when medics from other services hadn't even heard of the bugs I had.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Jun 13, 2014 - 03:46am PT
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Thanks for your service Jim!!!!!
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Jun 13, 2014 - 05:53am PT
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Thank you for all your service sir. I have always considered you one of the consistent voices of reason on this site since I started lurking in 2011.
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Evel
Trad climber
Nedsterdam CO
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Jun 13, 2014 - 06:52am PT
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Hand Salute.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jun 13, 2014 - 07:18am PT
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I'd be really interested in hearing more from Jim about how he made the transition from SF to climbing.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 13, 2014 - 07:39am PT
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Jan....I was on a Special Forces A Team mission training in the mountains of North Carolina in the summer of 1964. There were two British SAS guys training with us. One day they brought out a rope and set up a top rope on a nearby cliff. I immediately knew that climbing was something I wanted to persue.
While that was the extent of my actual climbing in SF, we were the "A1" detachment in the Seventh SF and were constantly in some sort of mission training. That training was perfect for developing the sklls and attitudes that served me well in my alpine climbing career.
By the way, in an earlier post you mentioned SF medics...that was my specialty.
The guys I served with in SF (fifty years ago) were some of the most interesting, intelligent and motivated people I have ever met.
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Norwegian
Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:15am PT
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the taco population
is graced and blessed
with your company and
your contributions.
thank you jim.
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Barry Bates
Boulder climber
Smith River CA
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:22am PT
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Congratulations Jim, well done and well deserved
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:46am PT
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Well done Jim
Thanks for sharing
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jonnyrig
Trad climber
formerly known as hillrat
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:49am PT
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Always nice to get a little recognition.
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:51am PT
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Respect.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jun 13, 2014 - 10:12am PT
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Well done Jim.
Did you make any of them dulfersitz a little ways?
I would have.
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rick sumner
Trad climber
reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska
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Jun 13, 2014 - 11:20am PT
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Congratulations to a role model to this community as well as the SF community from which you came. You have done both groups proud. Hey I met you once in '74 at the C4 urinals.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
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Jun 13, 2014 - 11:45am PT
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Very nice....much congratulations!
Susan
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Jim Clipper
climber
from: forests to tree farms
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Jun 13, 2014 - 12:02pm PT
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Thanks for your service, and a heart felt welcome home.
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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Jun 13, 2014 - 12:13pm PT
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Indeed. +1 to alla above.
friggin Navy seals are getting too much press.
I memba well the 10th down in, IRRC, Bad Tolz. What a place that was. Caught that at the tail end of whatever the hell it was I was doing.
We had two Green beanies in my unit. They were def special d00ds.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Jun 13, 2014 - 01:05pm PT
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Nice honor, Jim. You certainly deserved it. Congratulations.
The only other person in Sfs in my acquaintance is my old friend Col. George Bristol (USMC-Retired), who commanded JSOC in Africorps for his last two year assignment. He got caught up in Benghazi, but gave exemplary testimony to congress.
I have great admiration for all you guys! You were, or are, on the cutting edge.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jun 13, 2014 - 07:40pm PT
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Huge congratulations to you, Jim!!!!!!
Well done, and well deserved!
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Jun 13, 2014 - 07:53pm PT
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Kudos Mr. Donini . . . salute.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jun 13, 2014 - 07:58pm PT
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Congrats Mr. Doh...The only plaque i ever received was from a years worth of not brushing my teeth...rj
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:23pm PT
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Wow Jim. Being a Special Forces medic raises your status even higher!
The ones I knew used to carry a little black notebook in their front pocket and any obscure tropical disease I could think of, they could look up and tell me both the American and British drugs that worked on it. I still have a big tropical medicine book that one of them gave me.
They weren't just into combat and tropical stuff either. When I was once having a lot of pain, one of them told me, I don't think this is tropical, I think it's gynecological. When I told the Air Force doc that, he decided to look further and sure enough I had an ovarian cyst that had to be removed. After that, I always got a first opinion from my SF medic friends and then quoted them to the other docs. If the SF guys said check for whatever, the Army, Navy and Air Force docs would check for it, no questions asked.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 13, 2014 - 08:57pm PT
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Very cool Jim!
Thank you SF for introducing him to climbing!
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Karla
climber
Colorado
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Jun 14, 2014 - 03:44pm PT
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What a wonderful acknowledgement; your skills, no bs attitude and zest for adventure continually impress me. I think you are running out of room on your wall for all those awards!
Oh yeah, is that where you learned to cook;)
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Jun 14, 2014 - 04:35pm PT
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Congratulations Jim, i hear every word you posted. I have the honor and privilage to work with the Marine Wounded Warrior Regiment at the first ever Hope and Care Center at Camp Pendelton in Southern California assisting our wounded, ill and injured service members. Everything I've learned in 25 years in sports medicine is put to use and I learn more everyday. Glad you have the satisfaction of finally giving back. I have had the opportunity to go to Fort Carson the last two years to cover the Warrior Games for the Marines and they have a cool climbing wall at the gym there, you should check it out if you get a chance. Good on you Brother!
Peace
Edit: putting together a climbing program here for our Wounded Warriors, climbing is a great modality for the recovering Marines
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jun 15, 2014 - 01:05am PT
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I do miss being around the military community. It is filled with people who are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the common good.
My mailbox was on a Special Forces base for 25 years and I walked my dogs there every day.Sometimes walking them at night at night I saw some interesting sights. Guys with green faces sneaking through the cane fields and guys with painted black faces landing rubber boats on the beach.
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Jun 15, 2014 - 04:08am PT
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Real cool Jim!
I bet when you were in the Army, you never dreamed you would be speaking to the same group years later. Another new experience for you, and Angela.
Have fun in the Winds with "the group".
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gimmeslack
Trad climber
VA
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Jun 15, 2014 - 09:38am PT
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Binks
climber
Uranus
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Jun 15, 2014 - 09:48am PT
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I think it's very hard to be a "flag waving gun nut" and serve anything but your own deluded self interest.
Beautiful post.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Jun 15, 2014 - 10:21am PT
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Congrats, Jim-
I have some "memories" of Ft. Carson myself. Agony Hill, Rattlesnake Ridge, and 25-30 mile road marches with full gear.
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The Alpine
climber
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Jun 15, 2014 - 11:38am PT
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Yo Donini - switch out those pleated pants for some flat front ones. Trust me.
And Thanks.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2014 - 03:56pm PT
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Just got back from Fort Carson. Got to do another talk at the graduation of the latest Special Forces Mountain School. Welcomed back to the brotherhood even though I was only a three year wonder. I'm actually going to get to teach crack climbing at their next school......whooppee!
They've been following the ISIS situation with keen interest.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Sep 19, 2014 - 04:10pm PT
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They've been fillowing the ISIS situation with keen interest.
Hmmmm, I bet.
I loved talking some special ops BS with you when we were at Cochise Jim. Thanks again.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Sep 19, 2014 - 06:43pm PT
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Thank you.
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Sep 19, 2014 - 07:19pm PT
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Those Fort Carson guys are beasts.
When I worked SAR at Barr Camp they would hike up Pikes with cadets from the AF Academy with the heaviest setup I've ever seen.
Old school external frames packs, cast iron skillets, snowshoes on their backs when there was no snow. Hopefully they have upgraded their gear a bit since then but we were hanging slackjawed at the shear weight they bought up back then when the rest of us were all light is right.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Sep 19, 2014 - 11:16pm PT
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I'm actually going to get to teach crack climbing at their next school......whooppee!
The "Blue Camalot" goes camo...
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Sep 20, 2014 - 04:43am PT
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Hopefully they have upgraded their gear a bit since then but we were hanging slackjawed at the shear weight they bought up back then when the rest of us where all light is right.
Yes, there have been a lot of upgrades in the last 15 years.
I barely recognized some of the gear that SERE guys were using last time I was at the school. Made us look soooo primitive!
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