the Carnivore Confidence Course

U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Sonia Poulin, first sergeant of 1st Special Operations Comptroller Squadron, crawls through a tube filled with rotten food during the Carnivore Confidence Course at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Oct. 19, 2012. MSgt. Poulin is in one of many teams participating in the morale building exercise. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge)

"Carnivores" run rampant at obstacle course

Published Oct. 24, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Hayden K. Hyatt
1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- A young Airman dodged left and right through rows and rows of 50-pound, hanging sandbags as he crossed the bridge to the Soundside.

He gasped for air as he evaded the last bag only to look up and see the course wasn't over yet--he had many more obstacles to go.

The obstacles were part of the Carnivore Confidence Course at Hurlburt Field Oct. 19.

The course was made by Airmen to boost morale. The carnivore theme of the course was inspired by Chief Master Sgt. Ramon Colon-Lopez, command chief of 1st Special Operations Wing.

"I think it's great because when I signed up for command chief duty I brought the whole carnivore versus herbivore thing and the Airmen have just taken it to the next level," said Colon-Lopez. "It's just that unit cohesiveness and pride that creates that healthy competition."

The Soundside portion of the course involved Airmen wading under a dock and low crawling through the sand soaking wet.

"It was awesome," said Senior Airman Wayne Stacey, 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "The water part at the very end--it felt really good."

Airmen dodged sand bags, crawled through tunnels, and tried to escape "raptors" while traversing the two-mile course.

"Going through the tunnels on the football field was my favorite part," said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Perez, a fuels supervisor from 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron, "It was pretty cool."

Twenty-seven different teams competed in the base-wide event comprised of units from around Hurlburt Field.

"Our group consisted of 10 petroleum, oil and lubricant Airmen and two guys from vehicle operations," Perez said. "It was awesome, lots of fun and a good time to contribute to the team."

The event was the culmination of months of planning and preparation.

"I think it's really amazing--all the thought, the logistics and the coordination that took place by Airmen to go ahead and make this happen," Colon-Lopez said. "That's what I'm really proud of."