Afghan donkey named Hughes eases burden for Canadian soldiers

[GAP]

Afghan donkey named Hughes eases burden for Canadian soldiers
Article Link

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — His official job description is to help carry equipment and supplies for Canadian engineers when they head out on their marathon treks across the treacherous Afghan countryside.

But Hughes, the pint-sized Afghan donkey, clearly eases more than just the physical burden of being a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan.

The engineers, from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, based in Edmonton, bought the donkey for $200 from a group of Afghan National Army soldiers who share their patrol base west of Kandahar city, said Sapper Derek McCann, 22, of Vancouver.

"We were looking for something, because as engineers, we carry a lot of weight, (with) usually just two guys per patrol, and it's heavy," McCann said.

"We got the donkey, so he can carry some of the stuff we need him to carry."

McCann and fellow sapper Edward Monk, from St. Albert, Alta., were among those who christened the donkey Hughes - after a fellow soldier back home.

Hughes isn't very big - he's only about thigh-high on most of the troops who gather to see him every time he emerges from the engineers' compound - but he's a big help on patrols, said McCann.

He also doesn't seem to mind providing joyrides to soldiers around the base.
More on link

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Time to bring back some old trades, animal handler, blacksmith and Vet!! 

 

[geo]

Ahhh.... The A$$ of burden.

Hughes.... must be Jack (jackass) Hughes.

If you ever talk to soldiers who worked their way up the boot of Italy during the Italian campaign you will find that the Mule or A$$ was a mainstay of the army going into the line.  In mountaneous regions where vehicles have limited or no use, the a$$ is king.

 

[davidk]

I have a friend called Hughes who just got back from KAF and would be very amused to see this...

 

[geo]

Heh.... tell him he should get his a$$ over here!  >

 

[RTaylor]

LMAO that's a great story, wish a spot was done on the news about it  ;D

Reminds me of some of the stuff I've read about the Americans and their regimental pets (roosters, crocodiles, etc and even a golden lab that had it's para wings.)

 

[apple]

we should get some donkey's in the infantry i wonder how many 7.62 ammo box's they could carry

 

[medaid]

LOTS... But why bother with 7.62ammo boxes? The donkey is your new mobile gun platform, soft skin vehicle! .50 baby!!! > remember to put 'ears' on the poor little guy though

 

[James]

That was a fun article to read. It's nice to read some lighthearted news about Afghanistan. Thanks for posting it, GAP.

 

[ENGINEERS WIFE]

Posts: 18


  Re: Funny thing happened in the Sandbox
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2007, 11:26:44 » 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The other story is on the same tour as my husband, a troop of Engineers from 2 Cer had acquired a donkey to help carry all their crap ( I mean, important gear).  And the donkey had a habit of escaping on a regular basis.  No matter what they tried the donkey would not cooperate. As we all know, some asses are just like that!  But, as luck would have it they had a Sgt that was very good at getting asses to cooperate.  Usually through orders though  So, this ended up being one of the Sgt's jobs, getting the *** to behave.  And as luck would also have it, his troops admired him so much, he is now known affectionately as  "The *** Whisperer" (the Sgt, not the donkey).  Can't wait to see THAT movie.  Robin


I wrote this last year, but thought it was funny and tied on with this thread. 

 

[RatCatcher]

Yeah, great to see. Carry things, pull things... transmit various life threatening zoonotic diseases. I wonder why people still insist on ignoring the no pets rule that are in numerous regs. 

I know that someone is going to say it is good for morale...etc. Is losing a friend because of a preventable disease also good for morale...

 

[Dirt Digger]

Canadian Forces Fun Police here.  Have the following questions / concerns been addressed:

Has the donkey been checked by a vet?
Does the donkey have its shots?
Is the donkey suffering from fleas / ticks / parasites?
Is there a plan in place if the donkey gets sick or injured?
Does the donkey have a tender?
Is the tender filling the role voluntarily?
Does the donkey have a pen?
Is the pen cleaned on a daily basis?
Is the donkey provided with fresh water?
Is the donkey provided with a proper diet?
Is there a plan in place to deal with the donkey once the ROTO is complete?

I ask these questions because if a PMed or a DHHAT was to roll into camp, these are the questions that would most likely be asked.  Regardless of where you are, a certain standard of care is required to be maintained.  You buy a donkey in Canada, feed it nothing but IMPs and all its hair falls out, you better believe some questions are going to be asked.  Now I'm sure these guys are taking the best possible care they can provide to this animal, but if the thing gets sick...or makes one of the troops sick...  This is unfortunate because the donkey is filling a role it was bred to perform.  The mascot / pet duties, not so much (and the CF already has policies in place regarding taking in pets overseas).

 

[GAP]

Are you all turning into budding Bureaucrats?.....Lord, talk about mindsets....sheesh.. :

 

[MG34]

Wow, get over yourselves folks , it's a donkey not Typhoid Mary. FWIW there are vets in A'stan in the British, US and (I believe) Dutch contingments who are more than willing (or were) to get out of KAF and have a look at animals...gasp..donkeys included as well as provide all the necessary shots etc for military animals.As far as feed,bedding etc I', sure there is a local or two around or working on the FOB that can sort that out, it seems beasts of burden are quite common over there.

 

[RatCatcher]

With all due respect MG34... what public health training do you have.  I speak from experience that the US vets... and more than likely of the other contingents after having spoken with them during roto 4, will not provide services to "non-authorized working animals".  As a PMed, I do not make the recommendations on animal control based on a whim.  Should a disease be transmitted to one of your troops, and say this disease mutates that its transmission is now human-human, say respiratory. Your whole platoon, section, coy... etc could be put out of action.

I make recommendations so that the health of your troops is protected so that you can complete your mission. Sick troops are not able to complete the mission. 

Not to sound like a stick in the mud but pets put the mission at risk...

 

[Kat Stevens]

"Sick troops are not able to complete the mission. "

Neither can troops who hump ridiculous amounts of weight ridiculous distances at ridiculous elevations.

 

[chrisf]

So here's a question then...

If donkeys are proven as an effective load carriage tool in mountainous terrain, by the locals and by our own experiences, why AREN'T we buying them and supporting them?

 

[MG34]

With all due respect MG34... what public health training do you have.  I speak from experience that the US vets... and more than likely of the other contingents after having spoken with them during roto 4, will not provide services to "non-authorized working animals".  As a PMed, I do not make the recommendations on animal control based on a whim.  Should a disease be transmitted to one of your troops, and say this disease mutates that its transmission is now human-human, say respiratory. Your whole platoon, section, coy... etc could be put out of action.

I make recommendations so that the health of your troops is protected so that you can complete your mission. Sick troops are not able to complete the mission. 

Not to sound like a stick in the mud but pets put the mission at risk...

Public health training has little to do with it,I am very familiar with working with livestock and beasts of burden and their health concerns.I am as well familiar with  alarmist PMed Techs so forgive me if I don't take your recommendations as gospel. I am also speaking from experience in the theaterthat the coallition forces vets did look after "locally purchased" animals that were being employed by Coallition Forces troops.Your experience may have been different but is certainly not the only one worth note. There are also vets located in Kandahar city and outlaying districts, as well as Farriers and mule skinners,that are employed by Coallition Forces as the use of beasts of burden like this is fairly commonplace by other forces,it's about time "we" started using them.

 

[Kendrick]

I have a friend called Hughes who just got back from KAF and would be very amused to see this...

Ah yes, Bad News Hughes 

 

[OldSolduer]

Ok lets use common sense here.
Donkeys/A$$es seem to work. They can carry loads that humans can't. I beleive the US Army (10th Mountain) or the USMC uses mules to carry heavy loads in mountainous terrain.
So why can't we, the Canadian Army, use mules IF they have been medically cleared by a vet (we bring civvy trauma surgeons to KAF, why not a couple of vets?). Lets train a corp of soldiers who could be muleskinners....why not? If the farriers etc are in place near KAF...what the heck does it hurt to try?