Photo By Monica Wood | Staff Sgt. Big Deuce and Cpl. Short Round wait for the start of their promotion board...... read more read more
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FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Nov. 29, 2021) Two Fort Sill Soldiers got the nod from the board at a promotion ceremony at Sanders Stables Nov. 29, 2021.
Both Big Deuce VIII, a donkey, and Short Round VII, a Boer goat, had a rocky start with being “fidgety” and “unruly” according to a promotion board member. As the only live mascots on Fort Sill, they are enlisted with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery.
After balking at standing where the board could assess his uniform, Staff Sgt. Big Deuce VIII calmed down and let his handler answer the questions from the board. Pvt. 1st Class Brenden Snyder, Big Deuce’s handler, got the majority of the questions right.
“On the Army service uniform how will the service ribbons be worn on the male class A uniform?”
“What TC covers first aid?”
“What publication covers the Uniform Code of Military Justice?”
“What are the CG’s priorities?”
“When was 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery established?”
Then Cpl. Short Round was up but she was more interested in the grass she had been munching on and wasn’t happy to go before the board to be scrutinized. Board members commented on how skittish she appeared and that her uniform needed to be ironed.
Spc. Carl Romer answered questions on Short Round’s behalf.
“On the Army service uniform how will the service ribbons be worn on the female class A uniform?”
“You’ve heard of ‘This is my squad’. Who would you say is in Short Round’s squad?”
“What are the CG’s priorities?”
Romer and Snyder did well on the mascot’s behalf and the mascots both got the nod that they were promotable.
Spc. Tanner Tite, the mascot noncommissioned officer in charge, said the handlers worked hard and received experience that will help them progress in their careers as well.
“It helps the handlers, they received an MRI to study for the animals and be their representatives. And the handlers picked for today were two of the most competent handlers I have,” said Tite. “They are chosen because they’re good at what they do.”
Fort Sill and the United States Military Academy are the only units in the Army with live mascots. Big Deuce and Short Round are the face of Fort Sill.
The mascots participate at retirement ceremonies, changes of command, promotions and enlistment ceremonies. Their role is to spread the history of 2-2nd Field Artillery, which used to have donkeys and mules pulling artillery through the mountains of Panama.
Alpha Battery’s mission is to support the field artillery training of Soldiers and Marines at Fort Sill, according to the unit’s home page. About 14 of its Soldiers, who are typically field artillerymen, also have collateral duties as mascot handlers.
Check out all the photos from the promotion ceremony at https://flickr.com/photos/fortsillcannoneer/albums/72157720198486026.
| Date Taken: | 11.29.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.02.2021 11:57 |
| Story ID: | 410325 |
| Location: | FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 374 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort Sill mascots pass promotion board, make rank, by Monica Wood, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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