# 49-Year-Old Rambo Headed for Iraq



## Ravage (Aug 24, 2007)

August 23, 2007 

They call Damian Horne “Grandpa Rambo.”

The Sante Fe, N.M., public defender volunteered for a 9-month deployment with a special forces unit of the Colorado National Guard and is scheduled to ship out for Iraq in October.

Damian Horne turns 49 on Friday.

“I really wanted to support what I believe is an honorable job,” said Horne, a former Army Ranger and reserve Green Beret who has a 3-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son.

“I looked at the men and women who are serving, and I was so proud of them. I thought if they’ll take an old Rambo back, then I’d join up.”

Horne has been trying to get to Iraq for nearly two years. He joined the New Mexico National Guard in 2006, but New Mexico doesn’t have a special forces unit, so he attached himself to the Colorado unit and attended Air Assault School in February, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

“It’s billed as the 10 toughest days in the Army,” Horne said. “At least 40 percent of our class didn’t make it.”

But Horne made it through the program, even though the next oldest man in the class was at least 15 years younger.

Horne’s wife Sydney West, also a public defender, said he gave her no advance notice of his decision to re-enlist, and she wasn’t surprised that he opted for a combat job over anything else, including putting his legal background to use.

“I wouldn’t think he’d want to go over there to write wills,” she told the newspaper. “If he gets back alive, I’m going to kill him.”

As for those who might call him irresponsible for heading off to combat with two children at home, Horne said: “I can’t think of a better example to set for them.”

© 2007 NewsMax. All rights reserved.


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## moobob (Aug 24, 2007)

uhhhh


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## EATIII (Aug 24, 2007)

Good for him!:2c:


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## pardus (Aug 24, 2007)

> “If he gets back alive, I’m going to kill him.”


  LMAO!

Good on him!

moobob, what do you mean?


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## tova (Aug 24, 2007)

Ravage said:


> “I wouldn’t think he’d want to go over there to write wills,” she told the newspaper. “If he gets back alive, I’m going to kill him.”



 lol


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## moobob (Aug 25, 2007)

pardus762 said:


> LMAO!
> 
> Good on him!
> 
> moobob, what do you mean?




Some of the "journalistic details" seemed a little strange.


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## gryfen (Aug 25, 2007)

> a former Army Ranger and reserve Green Beret





> attended Air Assault School in February


How common is it for someone to have the first two credentials, without having attended Air Assault somewhere along the way?

This is the first I've heard of such a thing.

The way they dramatized Air Assault school makes my BS meter twitch.  I don't mean to try to detract from the merits of the school, but it seems like they're pushing aweful hard for the 'chicks dig it' factor in that article.


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## Centermass (Aug 25, 2007)

gryfen said:


> How common is it for someone to have the first two credentials, without having attended Air Assault somewhere along the way?
> 
> This is the first I've heard of such a thing.
> 
> The way they dramatized Air Assault school makes my BS meter twitch.  I don't mean to try to detract from the merits of the school, but it seems like they're pushing aweful hard for the 'chicks dig it' factor in that article.




Most journalists have no concept or clue as to either the pain or cool factor of military courses. 

As for AAS and the skill level of those attending, it happens frequently. Either at gunpoint (SGM: "You're fucking going - end of story") or the 3 shop announces "Hey, we've got a 100 slots, there's got to be at least 1 idiot who wants to go"  

Bullwinkle wings are a highly prized item BTW.


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## pardus (Aug 25, 2007)

moobob said:


> Some of the "journalistic details" seemed a little strange.



I cant believe the media would get details wrong! lol


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## gryfen (Aug 25, 2007)

ohh, okie dokie. :)


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## lockNload (Sep 6, 2007)

I was wondering the same thing as some of you. Journalism aside, they quote Horne as saying, “It’s billed as the 10 toughest days in the Army,” and “At least 40 percent of our class didn’t make it.” If this guy was a Ranger and is currently SF then why is he making any comments about the reputation and attrition of Air Assault when going through SF and Ranger training is far more arduous?


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## pardus (Sep 6, 2007)

I just found out that someone who is SF qual'd has no need to go to either AA or pathfinder school as the content in both are covered as part of the Q course. :2c:


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## surgicalcric (Sep 6, 2007)

lockNload said:


> ...“It’s billed as the 10 toughest days in the Army”...



10 toughest for the regular Army maybe....

Crip


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## 18C4V (Sep 6, 2007)

he's in my bn, I'll ask one of the guys in my class if he knows him


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## rangerpsych (Sep 6, 2007)

gryfen said:


> How common is it for someone to have the first two credentials, without having attended Air Assault somewhere along the way?
> 
> This is the first I've heard of such a thing.
> 
> The way they dramatized Air Assault school makes my BS meter twitch.  I don't mean to try to detract from the merits of the school, but it seems like they're pushing aweful hard for the 'chicks dig it' factor in that article.



air assault is redundant when you already know how to fastrope, and rappell in Bat... and you get trained more useful stuff as a Pathfinder anyway.


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## Boondocksaint375 (Sep 6, 2007)

its nearly impossible to get AA in batt.  A guy on my team just wanted the badge, but they wouldn't send him.  "uhh no , but can we interest you in a nice SERE slot?" was what another plt member told him lol


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## pardus (Sep 6, 2007)

I always wanted to do SERE...


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## Boondocksaint375 (Sep 6, 2007)

everyone does


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## pardus (Sep 6, 2007)

Shit I wanted airborne too but thats as rare as hens teeth back home


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## rangerpsych (Sep 6, 2007)

yah, its hard enough to get the sheep in the plane let alone get them to go out the door


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## x SF med (Sep 6, 2007)

pardus762 said:


> I always wanted to do SERE...




Never really wanted to do SERE, but WTF, I had no choice...  and you do essentially AAS Rappelmaster, and Pathfinder in the Q Course...


I agree:


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## Alvitr (Sep 6, 2007)

Ravage said:


> August 23, 2007
> 
> They call Damian Horne “Grandpa Rambo.”
> 
> ...



I think, at that age..I will just want to spend my time fishing


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## Kurt V (Sep 6, 2007)

Alvitr said:


> I think, at that age..I will just want to spend my time fishing



I was 45 when I retired.


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## Snaquebite (Sep 6, 2007)

> How common is it for someone to have the first two credentials, without having attended Air Assault somewhere along the way?



Actually it is pretty common. While being a Ranger or SF qualified requires such operations, many do not attend a formal school, but rather receive unit training and certification.


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## RackMaster (Sep 6, 2007)

rangerpsych said:


> yah, its hard enough to get the sheep in the plane let alone get them to go out the door



Hell if they saw the sheep near the plane, the whole mission would be forgotten and there would be some big Kiwi Sheepfest on the tarmac. :bleh:


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## pardus (Sep 6, 2007)

I hate you guys...


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## EATIII (Sep 6, 2007)

pardus762 said:


> I hate you guys...



Get a Tab, and then for the Long go for Long one!
I'll meet you at Bragg


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## RackMaster (Sep 7, 2007)

pardus762 said:


> I hate you guys...



It's all love, all love. ;)  There's groups of people from small Islands with Scottish heritage that get the sheep jokes too.  My father in-law is one of them, he's from Manitoulin Island.  And the others are from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, I have a few friends from there.  They all get the jokes when the opportunity arises.


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## 18C4V (Sep 7, 2007)

Ok,
I asked the E-8 in my class if he knew him and he didn't know anything about it. When I get to Campbell, I'll ask around.


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## Marauder06 (Sep 7, 2007)

gryfen said:


> How common is it for someone to have the first two credentials, without having attended Air Assault somewhere along the way?
> 
> This is the first I've heard of such a thing.
> 
> The way they dramatized Air Assault school makes my BS meter twitch.  I don't mean to try to detract from the merits of the school, but it seems like they're pushing aweful hard for the 'chicks dig it' factor in that article.




Air Assault School is a relatively new course.  Might not have had the opportunity to attend when he was in.

Also, a lot of folks I know who are Ranger and SF-qualified don't seem to feel a burning desire to attend Air Assault.


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## Boondocksaint375 (Sep 7, 2007)

Marauder06 said:


> Also, a lot of folks I know who are Ranger and SF-qualified don't seem to feel a burning desire to attend Air Assault.


 
or aren't allowed lol


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## lockNload (Sep 8, 2007)

Maybe this guy was support attached to the 75th in the past and is now support for a SF unit. That seems to be the most probable explanation seeing as how he talked about AAS while the journalist called him a former Ranger and "reserve Green Beret".


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## 06MQ995990 (Sep 20, 2007)

Hi guys, I just read about Air Assault in Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_assault) and I was wondering if the things they teach you over the years have changed since Vietnam?


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## surgicalcric (Sep 20, 2007)

06MQ995990 said:


> ...I just read about Air Assault in Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_assault) ...



Wiki is not a reliable resource, especially when it comes to things related to SOF or SF, to utilize for research unless you are looking for misinformation.    Just so ya know...  ;)

Crip


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