Deanimator
Member
OPFOR = Opposing Force
FTX = Field Training Exercise
As far as wrecking that particular FTX, ONE parent whose kid had been in a MILITARY EXPLORER POST for a YEAR decided the first night of the FTX that he not only didn't want HIS kid shooting blanks through an M16, he didn't want anybody ELSE's to do it either. The Guard finally compromised with him and agreed to issue M16s without bolts, and that NOBODY would use blanks. My friend and I were active Army captains who had driven all the way from Ft. Knox to be part of the OPFOR and there was no way in the world we were going to run around going "bang! bang!". Our friend understood completely. We and an IL National Guard friend from college pulled out and ate dinner prior to returning to Ft. Knox and Chicago respectively. This was after midnight.
On the way back, a pickup full of people passed us going about 80mph. A few moments later, a little Datsun or Toyota passed us on the shoulder going about 80mph. We knew something was up, but didn't know what. A few minutes later, we passed the pickup stopped on the shoulder, with a bunch of angry looking people standing around it. A few moments later, we passed the Toyota rolling along the shoulder. He sped up, pulled onto the interstate and paced us for a few seconds, like he wanted to race. I think instead, he was sizing us up as victims. He took off and we didn't see him for a while. At that time, I got my friend's HK93 out of the soft case in the back of his Dodge Charger (the '80s version), put in a 40 round magazine and chambered a round. We didn't see the Toyota again for 5-10 minutes so I unloaded the H&K and put it back in the case. A few minutes later, we saw the Toyota again, rolling along the shoulder. This time, he pulled out, caught up with us, then cut us off. He then began slowing down while weaving from side to side so that we couldn't pass him.
We were still wearing our home-made "foreign" uniforms. I again retrieved and loaded the HK93. I told my friend, who was driving, to wait until the Toyota got right on our front bumper, then hit the dome light. Just as we were inches apart, my friend hit the dome light so that the guy in the Toyota could see a "soldier" in a "foreign" uniform pointing an "assault rifle" at him. It was like "Star Wars". The highway markers all crowded into the center of his windshield in a red shift as he made the jump to light speed. He had to have been doing 100mph when he took off, weaving back and forth with his lights off so that we couldn't see him (although we could). After a few minutes of not seeing him, I unloaded and stored the H&K. Not too much later, we saw tail lights in the distance. Slowly gaining on the vehicle at normal highway speed, we discovered that it was indeed the same car. Right about that time, he recognized us and again took off going 100mph with his lights off. This happened at least twice before he disappeared for good.
Child molester, carjacker and serial killer Alton Coleman was traveling between Evanston, IL and parts east (including Ohio) at the time. I think there's a non-zero chance that we encountered him that night.
Coleman was eventually ratted out in Evanston and arrested. He was at some point extradited to Ohio and tried for the carjacking and murder of a woman here. He was convicted and executed a few years ago. If it was him and he hadn't taken off, that woman he murdered in Ohio might still be alive.
