Watch Out, Porky! Army Shooting Live Pigs In Training Exercise

[dgridley]

HONOLULU — The Army on Friday was holding an exercise involving shooting live pigs and treating the gunshot wounds in training it says is critical to saving soldiers' lives but which has sparked outcry from animal-rights activists.

The training, held at Schofield Barracks for Iraq-bound troops, is being conducted under a U.S. Department of Agriculture license and the careful supervision of veterinarians and a military Animal Care and Use Committee, said Maj. Derrick Cheng, spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division.

"It's to teach Army personnel how to manage critically injured patients within the first few hours of their injury," Cheng said of the medical trauma training.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,385545,00.html

I dunno about you, but this sort of exercise sickens me. It's bad enough they end up as bacon but I don't see the value in using live animals for this.

 

[Compassion]

"Cheng said the exercise is conducted in a controlled environment with the pigs anesthetized the entire time.." That's nice that they hypnotize and drug the pigs so they don't feel as much pain.


This is a step down from blowing up innocent women and children in Iraq, but it does not seem necessary.

Is this what medical doctors who train to work in ERs practice? I think not.

 

[cityforums.com]

"It's to teach Army personnel how to manage critically injured patients within the first few hours of their injury," Cheng said of the medical trauma training.


They could have done this training at any army emergency center in the

live battle fields or any major city hospital, in addition it would be closer to the

real world.

 

[RogueWriter]

With attacks down 94% in Iraq, I would think they would have a little breather room now to train without actually shooting pigs. Heck, send them to train in hospitals for major metropolitan areas, I'm sure they could get some great on the spot training from folks who have years of experience.