Because you guys & gals are stationed in Vicenza, just down the road from where I live here on Lake Garda.. I thought I would post this special page here to let you know what you can do here on Lake Garda and beyond the borders of Italy too.

Wanna learn more about Italy, Lake Garda or me? Visit my "Facebook" page.
Click Here!

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FREE Small Unit Outdoor Survival Classes

That's right, I offer FREE outdoor survival classes to squad & platoon size units. And so if you've got a squad or platoon that's interested in attending some of my classes, then com'on by and check out my “SOF-SOS Survival Training page.” And then all you gotta do is...

(a) Contact me via email (sossurvivalkits@live.com) or cellular (347-3435029) to arrange a class.
(b) Schedule your class at least 30 days out in advance on a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday.
(c) There must be at least 15 but no more than 45 soldiers who will agree to attend my classes.

Note: To view my qualifications, bio, etc, click on my “Army Ranger Rick” page.

Sound fair and easy to do? You betcha! And so now it's up to you guys & gals from the 173 rd & SETAF.

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Asiago Land Navigation Course

Did you know there is a 96 point / 16 square kilometer land navigation course located 65 kms north of Vicenza near a town called Asiago? 

And did you know I designed and developed it? Yep, I sure did. And it's been revised, expanded and updated three times since 1992. And the last time I revised & updated it was back in 2006, in which I handed over three (3) complete set of instruction books to the SETAF G-3 Office. And inside these books it listed..

1. How to get to the Asiago land nav course.
2. How to successfully conduct the land nav course.
3. Maps showing where all the 96 points are located.
4. NCOIC / OIC safety briefing instructions and do's & don't's.
5. Individual/team hand-out cards containing 6-8 grid coordinates.
6. Grade sheet for verifying the correct points were successfully located

So if your company or battalion training NCO/Officer is unaware of this land navigation course. Then I suggest you tell him or her to go down to the SETAF G-3 office to ask “Hey, why haven't you told us about this Asiago Land Navigation Course that's available to us?”

And if they tell you they didn't know anything about it, then I suggest you tell them they had better get ahold of me as I still have copies of everything. But if they do know about it and they have not been maintaining it, the points, set of instructions, etc. Then I suggest you tell them they had better get off their butts and get ahold of me if they want some help with it.

Sound fair enough? You betcha! Again, it's now up to you guys & gals from the 173 rd & SETAF.

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Wanted - Possible Volunteers
 Needed For a New Land Nav Course

Did you know I am interested in building another land navigation course? Yep, a 24 hour, 50 kilometer, one-way/direction land navigation course that would start at Asiago and finish at Folgaria, or vice versa.

And so this coming spring (2010) I may contact SETAF / 173 rd to ask if they would be interested in helping me make this new land navigation course. I will design the course layout, make the signs if they will provide me some good navigators, preferably some Ranger & SF qualified NCOs or officers to emplace these points/signs. And based on the number of personnel I am provided, the mountainous terrain and distance we would need to cover, I estimate it will take about 2-3 days to position these points/signs.

I will also recommend SETAF & 173 rd develop a special award to be given to those who can successfully complete this land nav course. Such as a challenge coin that reads “(Name) Has Successfully Completed the Asiago-Folgaria 24 Hour / 50 Kilometer Land Navigation Course on (Date).”

But if I don't get any support, then I may try to set up this new land nav course by myself and find some volunteers to help me. And so if anyone is interested in helping me and want to be kept up-to-date on this, just send me an email.

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Wanted – A Few Good Soldiers
To Test Out A New Road March Route

I would also like to develop a special road march route dedicated to Colonel William O. Darby here on Lake Garda. Yep, that's what I would like to do. And I would like to see it named the “40 Mile Ranger / Col. Darby 15 Hour Challenge.” Which I plan on contacting SETAF / 173 rd in asking if they would be interested in helping me with this too.

The starting point would be in a town called Pescheria located at the southern part of Lake Garda. And the finish point would be at the “Colonel Darby Monument” located at the northern part of the lake in a town called Torbole .

In case some of you are not familiar with this monument, Col. Darby was one of our nation's greatest legendary heroes who trained and organized the first US Army Ranger units and was killed at Torbole (Lake Garda) on April 30 th 1945 by a Germany 88mm shell. To see where this town and monument are located, just log onto this link:

http://www.comune.nago-torbole.tn.it:80/context.jsp?ID_LINK=266&area=6

The reason why I think this would make a great 40 mile road march challenge route is because of the beautiful landscape along the lake and route that will help keep your mind off these 40 miles. Which I would highly recommed it be done in PT shorts, tennis shoes, safety reflection belt and a camelback on your back, no rucksacks.

To get to Lake Garda from Vicenza you can either take a train or the autostrada to Pescheria and then all you have to do is stay on the east side of Lake Garda and follow the main road from Pescheria all the way up to Torbole. If you start at first sun up (0600) during the months of April – October, you will or should arrive in Torbole sometime before or around sundown (2100) and be able to catch the last ferry or bus from Torbole back to Pescheria. Or if you like, you can stay at one of the many hotels and camp sites in Torbole and return back to Pescheria the next day.

If I am able to get some support from SETAF/173 rd I will recommend they also develop a special award for this road march challenge, another challenge coin that should read “(Name) Has Successfully Completed the 40 Mile Ranger /Colonel Darby Road March Challenge on (Date)”

But again if I don't get any support from SETAF or the 173rd, then I may go it alone and seek some volunteers to help me with it. And so if anyone is interested and would like to be kept up to date or test it out with me, just send me an email. 

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Coming Soon …

Kayaks	Metal Detectors	Water Scooters	Basement Apartment

FOR ”LEASE & RENT” LOCATED HERE IN BARDOLINO..
Note: To US Military / DoD ID card holders only

2 x Two-Seat Kayaks named (what else?) “Airborne” and “Ranger.” ( $30 ½ / $45 all day )
2 x “White” Metal Detectors complete with everything you need to go treasure hunting. ( $25 a day )
2 x Sea Water Scooters & Snorkel Sets complete with extra batters for 2-4 hours of fun. ( $25 a day )
1 x Basement Apartment nicknamed (what else?) “The Bunker,” sleeps 3-4 people. ( $30 a person ) Note: Sorry, no children allowed, adults (18 year olds & up) only.

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Why You Should Come Out To Lake Garda..

Did you know whatever you can do up in AFRC Garmisch you can do here on Lake Garda too?

The big difference is, you don't have to spend hours on the road or spend a lot of money on fuel and autostrada fees to go all the way up there when you've got good ol'Lake Garda here about an hour away by car or train from Vicenza.

And if you've never been here on Lake Garda, or if you have but you have only been to a few places, then you don't know what [else] you're missing. To me, Lake Garda is a hellova lot better place than Garmisch and Jesolo Beach too. We have a lot more beautiful beaches, panaramic mountains, old castles, amusement parks, discotheques, restraunts, night clubs, bars, and lots more stuff too numerous to mention here.

And most important.. ..Yes guys, we've got lots of beautiful women here (and handsome young men for you ladies too) who come from all over Europe. And English is the second most spoken language here on the lake too, followed by German, French and Spanish.

And two of my favorit adventures that I have enjoyed doing was to bike and kayak entirely around Lake Garda (160 kms = 100 miles) in 3 x days. Which my buddies and I could have done it sooner if we had not stop at every town for a glass of wine or a beer. A great way to burn off calories and excess weight.

And so if you want to learn more about Lake Garda, what to do and places to see then stay tune as I plan to post some more information here coming this April 2009. And not just about Lake Garda, but other interesting and exciting places to visit here in Europe too. For example….

Have you ever heard of the War & Peace Show?

You haven't? Well it's only Europe's largest five day private military fair held every year in July (22-26) at a place called the “Hops Farm” located just outside of Dover – England.

And yep, I've been going there myself every year and I gotta tell you.. it's an awsome and fantastic place to visit for a couple of days. They have everything there, hundreds of military vehicles on display and hundreds of military vendors selling everything from military jeeps, armored vehicles, deactivated weapons, machine guns, bazookas, mortars, radios, bayonets, uniforms, EVERYTHING! And most of this stuff can be legally purchased and shipped back to the states too.

No BS! And on top of this, everyday there are daily shows, demonstrations and reenactment battles that you'll think you're living in the past during WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the cold war too. And if you're an American soldier, active or retired and you wear your uniform there, you will be well treated, make a lot of friends and every evening it's PARTY TIME!

There is so much stuff to see and do there it's unbelieveable! And most of the people who go to this yearly event stay at the camp grounds that's located right there on the Hops Farm. There is just too much stuff to see and do there it's best you log onto their website and check it out at:

www.warandpeaceshow.co.uk/

If you would like more information or if you are interested in following me up or meeting me there, just send me an email. Which by the way, Normandy Beach, St. Mere Eglise, Point Du Hoc and some other famous WWII battlefields are not too far away from Dunkerque (France). Where you will need to board the ferry to Dover (England), about 300 miles away. So there's something else you might want to think about seeing while you're that far up in northern France. So stay tune for some more information about this, or if you can't wait, just email me.

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Tony The “Wannabe American” Italian

I have an unusual Italian friend name “Tony Capellozza” who is absolutely crazy about America and the US Army. And if I could grant one person immediate & instant American citizenship it would without a doubt be him.

He is an avid US military collector, trader & vendor and owns almost every type of US made military gear, uniforms and weapons from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf war to present. And he travels to about a dozen military fairs a year across Italy trading & selling some of his US military gear and more.

And so if anyone is interested in meeting “Tony The Wannabe American” and in seeing his military collection. Which he will be more than happy to bring to your unit his M1911 Pistol, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, M1A1 Thompson SMG, M3 Submachine Gun, Browning M1919 Machine Gun, M2A1 Flame Thrower, M14, M16, AK-47 and some other weapons. Not to mention his M151 Mutt Jeep, WWII, Korea & Vietnam uniforms, etc, all you have to do is contact me and I'll contact “Tony” to see when he can bring this stuff to your unit.

Does your unit have a special event or ceremoney coming up soon? If so, I'm certain “Tony” would be more than happy to make it even better by loaning your unit some of his uniforms, weapons and his M151 Mutt Jeep too.

What would he want in exchange? To be a part of your unit ceremony or event. But because he lives in Rovigo, about an hour away from Vicenza, I would sugget you or your unit offer to pay for his fuel, autostrada fees, etc. After all, he's not asking for any money for his service, though if you want to pay him something that's up to you. He's just a super nice Italian guy who is crazy about Americans and our US Army, that's all. And yes, he speaks pretty good English too.

What does he do for a living? He works as a part-time x-ray technician at the Rovigo Hospital where his wife works too as a nurse. Again, a super nice guy who will do almost anything to be a part of SETAF or a 173rd Airborne Brigade ceremony or event. And so let me know if you would like to meet and have Tony come to your unit.  

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WANTED: Meals-Ready-to-Eat

Do you have some MREs laying around in your room or home that you don't need or want? If you do, I'll pay you $ 5.00 per MRE. What do I want with them? I have a lot of Italian friends who keep asking me for them, some of who are “softair” wannabe soldiers. Not to mention, I use these MREs for some of my survival training too. And so if you got any for sale, let me know. Unless you wanna trade 4 x MREs per (1) SOS Survival Necklace or Keychain.   Note: I will not buy them if they are sealed in an MRE box, only if they are loose meals.

Note: I will not buy them if they are sealed in an MRE box, only if they are loose meals.

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* Stay tune SETAF & 173 rd Airborne Bde, more stuff to come and to be posted here soon. Hooah!