Profile (and Contact)
I’m an ex-Army, bushcrafting, semi-ultralight, backpacking, hiking, camping, forager, with an interest in survival and preparedness. This blog reflects all of those those interests plus a few more. I teach legal research at 2 law schools. I’m in my 30’s, father of 4, husband to 1, sole-earner for my family and I live in Indiana.
I am an Army veteran, having served for 4 years from 1994-1998. I was lucky enough to have never been deployed to combat, though I did deploy to the Sinai Peninsula for 6 months and was one of the first 500 soldiers in the U.S. Army to earn Russian jump wings via a 1997 jump into Kazakhstan with troops from Russia, Kazahkstan, Uzbekistan, and Hungary among others.
The nickname Ranger Squirrel was given to me by my Army Basic Training platoon members. I joined the army at 118 lbs…damned skinny for a 5′10″ guy. I also have ADD, which when I was 18 meant that I couldn’t stand still very well. I was always bouncing a leg or otherwise fidgeting….essentially I was squirrelly…..so that’s the squirrel part. The Ranger part came from the fact that I was an unlikely candidate to join the Army with an Airborne Ranger contract, which is exactly what I did.
At any rate, the nickname stuck.
I did complete Infantry training and Airborne School. I attended RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) and even served in the Ranger Regiment (specifically 3rd Battalion) VERY briefly, before requesting reassignment to the 82nd Airborne to chase a girl who later dumped me, married a Marine, and moved to Colorado….ahh, the idiocy of youth.
I am not now, and have I ever been Ranger qualified, however. I use the moniker because it was a nickname given to me, and truth be told I’m sometimes uncomfortable about it. So for the record, I don’t claim to have earned or ever worn the Ranger tab. I never even went to Ranger school. It’s just a nickname.
You are welcome to email me with questions – squirrel@rangersquirrel.com.
Guest Posts by Ranger Squirrel:
American Preppers Network
Be A Survivor Blog
- Swine Flu (H1N1), Mandatory Vaccines, and Abortion?!
- Fact or Fiction
- Why you should care?
- Am I Crazy? (submitted to blog carnival at Be a Survivor, hosted on my own site)
- The Two Most Commonly Overlooked Preps
Survival Blog
The Survivalist Blog
Survival Mom
hehe…love the picture.
Thanks. Took me forever to catch that little bugger.
hey squirrel , flea turned me on to your site a little while ago .. enjoyed reading about your college days in a black out … what you experienced we in south jersey call a party ! so much for a jumper …….. i am 100 percent leg … 71 to 74. crazy joe in south jersey
Welcome Crazy Joe!
Hello, thought I would drop you a line. I live in In. also. Have recently started a blog. Not looking for any link love, just introducing myself and wondering if I have some questions about this blogger stuff would you mind maybe pointing me in the right direction? Mainly security concerns that I have. Thanks
Sure just send me an email and I’ll try to assist: rangersquirrel@gmail.com
Well at least you cleared that up.
I thought it had something to do with your wife’s love of baby squirrels.
Yo Ranger!
REALLY dug your childbirthin’ essay posted on survival blog…been through it twice myself, girls now grown, and you’re absolutely correct, they ain’t babies for long.
I was in the 82d, 2/325 Infantry: I’m Ranger qualified, but always felt a little inadequate for never having served in a Ranger battalion!
My hat’s off to you, dude; love your website…
Steve G.
Georgia USA
I was 3/504 at the 82d. Welcome Airborne!