OT -- Military Animal Identification

[Ed the Coastie]

This is going to sound kind of bizarre, but I need the information for this year's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month) novel. So I figured that perhaps someone here would be able to answer a question for me...

I know that the US Military uses animals (dogs, horses, dolphins, sea lions, etc) in various capacities. My question is...how do they keep track of them? Are animals given part numbers and designations, like equipment? (NSN 9134-27-163-5982 -- Dolphin, Mine-seeking) Or are they issued individual serial numbers similar to human personnel? Both/neither?

[Targan]

Sorry I don't know the answer but I just wanted to say that that is an excellent question. I'm really looking forward to reading the answer.

[kato13]

Felt like flexing my Google muscles

2–3. Requisition procedures for military working dogs
a. Requisitions for MWDs should be submitted when manpower spaces for handlers are authorized.
b. MWDs initially trained for the Army are listed below—
(1) Patrol/narcotics detector; line item number (LIN) 33800; national stock number (NSN) 8820–00–243–7542.
(2) Patrol/explosives detector: LIN 33742; NSN 20–00–188–3880.
(3) Detector dog narcotic: NSN 8820–01–271–3829.
(4) Detector dog explosive: NSN 8820–00–043–3526.
(5) Mine detector dog: NSN 8820–01–536–4047.
(6) Specialized search dogs: NSN 8820–01–526–4588.
(7) Patrol dogs: LIN G33690; NSN 8820–00–435–9005.
(8) Combat tracker dog: NSN 8820–01–536–4048.

http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r190_12.pdf

[jester]

They are issued serial numbers like troops, they have a sorta service record book as well. Thats all I remember, and that is gleened from really really REALLY trying to go out with a dolphin handler when they had them at my base, hey, she was REALLY REALLY CUTE! And the other well, she was a dog handler MP, I honestly could have cared less about their animals record etc just trying to work the conversation ;)

And usualy they request a team, handler and animal.

A note, the marine animal has the highest number of desertions, it also includes

Dolphins, harbor seals, sea lions, a pilot whale or two and either a mock or pygrmy killer whale or a full sized one, check out the website they are based out of San Diego.

[Ed the Coastie]

Cool...that's what I needed. I can thus use a combination of both for my story. Thanks!

[pmulcahy11b]

This is going to sound kind of bizarre, but I need the information for this year's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month) novel. So I figured that perhaps someone here would be able to answer a question for me...

On a different track, are you writing a book? When's it come out, and what's the name? It'll be a must-buy for me!

And a little tid-bit of miscellany: In the US Army, military dogs are traditionally given the unofficial rank of Corporal. They're not really Corporals; it's just a tradition. In Basic, our mascot was Corporal Dog (yes, that's the name the Drills gave him), but us lowly recruits had to address him as Corporal -- or face pushups that started at 10 and rose to 75 by the end of AIT phase. (I went to OSUT -- Basic and AIT put together into one cycle.)

[Ed the Coastie]

I don't have a name for the book yet...assuming I can get it finished I will let folks know. Thanks for the support.

[simonmark6]

The British Para Regiment had a mascot which was a Shetland Pony called Sergeant Pegasus. It did a massive shit in front of the Queen and was demoted to Corporal.

[pmulcahy11b]

The British Para Regiment had a mascot which was a Shetland Pony called Sergeant Pegasus. It did a massive shit in front of the Queen and was demoted to Corporal.

Was it a call of nature, or a commentary?

[Targan]

I have a friend who was with the Australian Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment and spent some time as one of the handlers of 2 Cav's mascot, a wedge tailed eagle named Courage. My friend told me that during a parade Courage flew over a trooper who had previously secretly mistreated him and snatched the trooper's beret off his head.

Wedge tailed eagles are big birds by the way. Really impresive looking animals.

[Kellhound]

In Spain we have the Legion's goat, and the Special Operations boar.
They are unofficially considered of corporal rank, but the boar never leaves the base, as he cannot march in step with the rest. :D

Pic is too big, so I better link it. :p
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/17620215.jpg

[Mohoender]

The British Para Regiment had a mascot which was a Shetland Pony called Sergeant Pegasus. It did a massive shit in front of the Queen and was demoted to Corporal.

If the queen had had some sense of humour, she should have granted it a promotion instead.:D

[pmulcahy11b]

If the queen had had some sense of humour, she should have granted it a promotion instead.:D

If they gave promotions based on the size of piles, my old dog Shadow would have been a 4-Star General!

[Ed the Coastie]

The icebreaker I served on during my "Very Young Coastie" days had for a time an enormous (something like 4' long) iguana as a mascot. His name was "Tim" due to a fancied resemblance between him and one of our shipmates.

We joined us at Guantanamo Bay...just walked up the gangplank bold as brass one day and started sunning himself on the fantail. He "served" for a couple of months, but we had to turn him loose back at Gitmo when we were on our way home. (Turning him loose involved catching him, wrapping him up in a couple of dark blankets, and conducting a late-night "ninja raid" upon the golf course with the intent of unbundling on one of the greens.)

[Littlearmies]

Every Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers has its Regimental Goat. The goat is always a billy goat and is not a mascot but a member of the Regiment. The goat is looked after by an uncommissioned soldier called the 'Goat Major'. The origin of the Regimental Goat, which marches at the head of each Battalion, is not known but it is believed that a goat served with the Regiment in Boston in 1775 during the American War of Independence. Queen Victoria presented the Regiment with a Kashmir goat from the royal herd in 1844 and successive sovereigns have replaced them ever since.

What's even more interesting is that the Royal Welch Fusiliers served alongside US Marines during the Boxer Rising and presented them with a goat - at the time the Marines were still a part of the US Navy rather than being a seperate arm of service. When they split the Navy kept the goat as it's mascot while the Marines went for a bulldog. The Marines and the Fusiliers exchange greetings etc on St David's Day and on the US Marines founding day each year.

Aren't stupid military traditions great?

[simonmark6]

No, just traditional.

The link between the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Marines was quite strong for a long time, Sousa wrote two marches for them, Number Two has an echo of Men of Harlech in it, I'd give my left nut for a look at the score but the swine in the museum reckon it's too precious to pull out of storage.

[jester]

Uh, the Marines still fall under the Navy Branch, and they also exchange greetings on the anniversary of the boxer rebellion, it is a simple greeting that is something like "still manning the wall" or "holding the wall." which refers to those were the only two units to hold their positions on the walls when the Boxers and later imperial chinese troops attacked.