"The Tom Brown "Tracker" thing came along right around 79/80. He taught a class at HQ once, and as I heard from a good friend of mine who was in it, albeit extremely skilled in woodcraft,he was a bit of a shyster as well.
He started out his class in the BRC saying to the poeple present, and this is a paraphrase; "How many of you saw the twenty sevrn edible plants out in the lawn out front here? How many of you know that four doe deer and two bucks crossed the lawn out front between 0430 qnd 0745? None of you? Well, that's because you haven't learned to pay attention!"
After the moring session, Dr. Wierwille reportedly took him outside and said to him; "Show me all of the edible plants, and all of the deer sign". And reportedly, the guy answered that he couldn't and then Dr. Wierwille told him; "Don't .... my people. Now from now on, teach 'em straight"...
But I did read his two books, The Tracker and the Search which were excellent, and I thought it good that the guy shared his info with Wayfers. I mean, I like outdoors stuff, and alot does go on around us in the natural world that we just don't see because "we don't think to look"...."
"No hey, Igotout, I still think that Tom Brown was/is rather extraordinary! And I am sure that with his acuired skills that had (among other things) a lot to do with not running his mouth and paying attention to his surroundings, that it might have been tempting for him to get a bit cynical with folks of lesser skills, and therefore stretch things sometimes. I mean, I don't think he was a complete phony or anything.
But the guy who told me of this, S.A., one of the original LEAD guys, and really a reputable person to this day (no longer "in"), and he said that Tom Brown was a tad bit full of himself by the time he got around doing seminars and such, at least when he did the one for Way folks. My friend did say that the guy was way way knowledgeable in the skills of woodcraft, tracking and all of that, and that it was well worth sitting through his class.
And yes, one morning, I saw an eight point buck deer right inside the BRC, camouflaged behind the coat rack that was filled up with cammo MAL coats. Someone had actually hung their coat on one of his antlers. Hmmph. Showed how spiritually sharp THEY were. I went over to it. It was eating from a bowl of twenty seven edible herbs that I had picked while on bless patrol that morning and had stashed under the coat racks. I took out my MAL knife, whispered a little prayer into it's ear, and then took him out side and then sliced his throat. Then me and Tom Brown butchered him up and there was venison for all!
No, I never saw any deer on grounds, but I did help Don Wierwille buthcher a buck that he shot somewhere south of HQ along the Miami River. There was a guy named Dean Tallarida who was a Union Butcher from Philadelphia, and he gave us a demonstration on how to butcher meat. He said that he'd never butchered a deer before, but it was all about the same as beef, and was therefore very interesting to him. It was really interesting to me too. So really, I didn't actually help, I got to watch, and then help wrap and label the cuts."
"I recall an occasion when veepee was sitting with the 10th corps while others were discussing how great this "Tracker" guy, Tom Brown was. Some 8th corps had just returned from the "Tracker school" and were sharing about what a sharp guy Brown was in so many ways, etc, etc. Everybody was obviously impressed and the focus was on a story being told about how Brown snuck up on a deer or something, when all of a sudden Veepee leaps to his feet and shouts angrily, "DO YOU THINK HE COULD SNEAK UP ON ME?"...Suddenly the attention was back on wierwille, where he wanted it to be. He went on with some blather about how acute his spiritual senses were. Everybody ooohed and ahhhed and things were right again in wayworld. Scheeesh!"
"When I was on staff at HQ, Joe C. informed me that I'd be running video during the tues night corps meeting. I objected, reminding him that I wasn't corps (I'd gotten that smart already). He said it was all cleared with the leadership and I would do it.
Well anyway, things were going just fine, VPW was leading the meeting and soon after it started, he asked a guy to stand and give a report on a class he had attended. The class was run by non-twi people and it was about tracking. Tracking as in following animal tracks.
The guy gave a very nice talk on what he had learned. He liked the class a lot and was highly favorable of it. Then he made the mistake of saying it was more valuable to him than Lead. VPW went ballistic. He ripped into the guy for a good 5 minutes. Said he had a prideful spirit, said he didn't deserve to be corps, etc, etc... I think VPW ended it by ordering the guy out of the BRC and out of the corps.
I had never heard such an attack on another person in my whole life. Not at home, not in school, not in the Army, not in the workplace.
At that moment, I realized that I was in a cult run by a sick man. It was a couple of years before I got out, but nonetheless that moment was a crystalizing point in time."
Wierwille went ballistic......because many of the corps seated up front with vpw were LEAD staff and had specifically gone to this tracker school to learn some things. All was fine until Dxvid Dxwxxd said that this tracker guy's class was better than LEAD.
Yes, wierwille had a ....y fit, yelling and pointing and stomping back and forth, and glaring at David......said he was possessed!!! Another stunning memory that one doesn't tell wierwille that SOMEONE ELSE'S CLASS is better than veepee corps stuff!!!
David wasn't possessed........sheeeesh. This 8th corps guy loved the outdoors, he built his own cabin, he was well equipped in all types of outdoor situations.....and is now a successful businessman.
If anyone was possessed in that meeting.....wierwille got my vote."
"I knew he wasn't possessed. And I would hope that most of the people there knew that he wasn't possessed. That was part of the insanity of the whole thing. David had a great time at the class. It suited him better than Lead and he made the mistake of being truthful about it. And then, in an instant, the wrath of VPW strikes him like a bolt of lightning."
"David did NOTHING to warrant such ripping, scathing, verbal abuse that night. NOTHING! Wierwille just didn't want to hear it.
As best I remember, the book The Tracker was written by Tom Brown....and later, he took enterprising steps towards seminars for those who wanted to learn foundational and advanced techniques in tracking. This tracker book was suggested reading for corps.
Maybe wierwille had visions of running his own "advanced tracking seminar".... until David endorsed Tom Brown's."
Sitting in the BRC (in 1980?) during one of those corps-sharing times......only THIS time, vpw had five or six corps up front who had returned from The Tracker School. After plenty of preliminary stuff.....ie the inrez corps guy led off with his spiel for about 10 minutes, letting wierwille sit back until the meeting got going.....then wierwille starts. He talks about the importance of learning, learning from anyone who is an expert in their field and all that. Thus, he felt it was important for these corps to attend The Tracker School.
Well......all was fine as the corps shared some of the neat things they had learned.....UNTIL one LEAD-type corps guy shared how this Tracker Guy was amazing!! In fact, his perception and awareness of his surroundings, and life itself, was truly jaw-dropping. This Tracker Guy was unbelievable.....etc. SUDDENLY.....wierwille lashes into this corps guy with a vicious venom that I'd never seen before. Wierwille was livid.......and all of us in the BRC were stunned by his outlandish outbursts!!!
As this venom escalated, wierwille glared at this corps guy and said that he was POZZEZZED......yep, he has spirits in his braincells. The corps guy stood his ground. It seemed like everyone in the BRC had stopped breathing. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. In public view, wierwille was on the spot.....and this corps guy didn't seem to flinch. What was wierwille to do???? Yell some more......visibly fume.....and stomp out.
You tell me what you think about wierwille.....and I'll tell you ANOTHER side of the man."
"At a similiar type of sharing at Emporia, one gal was sharing on "the Tracker guy" and how sharp he was. She said something to the effect that he knew how to sneak up on someone. Vp was at lunch that day and all of a sudden we heard him come over a separate mike,
"He could never sneak up on me. Father would tell me." The woman just shut up and looked embarassed. The reason for her sharing had just been taken away from her.
Not the same kind of face-melting, but still quite embarassing.
It didn't matter what he was promoting because ultimately vp was always promoting himself."
""The Tracker" is Tom Brown, Jr. HERE'S a link to his school.
You can probably find a copy of his autobiography The Tracker around somewhere... it's a great read and has a lot of valuable information for living life."
"in the late 70's he was just beginning to be talked about... there's a lot of great knowledge and wisdom in the first two books The Tracker and the second one (although I don't remember the name)... he's also written a number of field/survival guides..."
"I'd suppose vp looked to add something "cool" in the corps program, but it had to be in light of him being the great master of all. The concept of bringing in experts on various subjects to teach for a few days is interesting, but vp couldn't be outdone ... so he had to claim MOGFOT status over any threat.
The guy that did the astronomy work on JC Our Promised Seed ran into conflicts somewhere ... he obviously knew a ton more than VP, but something had to be VP's way, I forget now. It seems that was a big issue, but somehow twi claimed ownership and published the book, with VP's name on it..
I'm sure many good innovative people and ideas were stomped out because they conflicted with these top dog egos."
In 91, I took a survival class at Rome City, the guy that came was trained by Mr.Brown, he promoted his book as well.Brown has schools in 3 cities. I also remember them saying if the President ever got lost in the mountains that Mr.Brown would be sent to find him cause of his abilities to survive in the wild..."
"My hubby was charged with taking care of Tom Brown and his staff during this HQ tracker school. He observed "up close and personally" how VP reacted to having Tom Brown around.) He said VP was extremely jealous of Tom Brown. At the first dinner meal for the school which was served in the OSC, Tom Brown and his staff went and served themselves as soon as the food was set out (of course not knowing anything about HQ protocol.) VP was livid that he got his food before the MOG got his. VP reamed Tom Brown, "You think you're the Tracker, but you're nothing....", cursing at him and tearing into him. This was the 1st night of the school. Tom Brown's staff wanted him to leave after this, but TB was gracious enough to stay.
Another time during that school Tom Brown, who was a chain-smoker, lit a cigarette up in the BRC, while he was teaching his class. VP was so put out with TB because he was the only one allowed to smoke in the BRC.
They also hated the food at HQ and they were very grateful to hubby for making a "McDonald's run" for them."
"Vic loved to find "experts" in worldly fields and laud them to the sky, because he would follow that by saying that WE could do better because we had holy spirit and the rightly-divided Word of God, as given to us by the MOG and TWI. The whole thing was always intended to make Vic look better, not the 'worldly' expert!! That's why he would just go off the deep end when someone got a little too impressed with the guest."
I read both The Tracker[/] and The Search. I would recommend The Tracker to anyone... there's lots of 'life lessons' in it... and loads of "how to" information to be gleaned... the one thing I always remember whenever it's getting a little chilly is the mind trick he used of "the cold is my friend" and convinced himself not to be too affected by it... and lots of other stuff...
WELL I SNUCK UP ON HIM. Well I caught him with just his fruit of the lums. There was a meeting at the University of Houston back in 76/77. Someone told me to go out to the buss and get some boxes of material. I go bounding into the buss and there is the good old Doc in his skiveess. Shouldn't he have known I was coming. That is the only time I had a one on one meeting with him. I can still remember the look he gave me. Just ask me what I was doing and let me get the box and leave. No face melt or anything.
"He could never sneak up on me. Father would tell me."
WELL I SNUCK UP ON HIM. Well I caught him with just his fruit of the lums. There was a meeting at the University of Houston back in 76/77. Someone told me to go out to the buss and get some boxes of material. I go bounding into the buss and there is the good old Doc in his skiveess. Shouldn't he have known I was coming. That is the only time I had a one on one meeting with him. I can still remember the look he gave me. Just ask me what I was doing and let me get the box and leave. No face melt or anything.
Then again,
if my front door was open and anyone COULD walk in,
I wouldn't be in my skivvies.
I don't need Father to tell me that wasn't prudent.
Recommended Posts
excathedra
yeah my family is good friends with some of his family
don't want to say much else
just remember..... everything is not as it appears..... or however those type of sayings go.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...ost&p=25534
"The Tom Brown "Tracker" thing came along right around 79/80. He taught a class at HQ once, and as I heard from a good friend of mine who was in it, albeit extremely skilled in woodcraft,he was a bit of a shyster as well.
He started out his class in the BRC saying to the poeple present, and this is a paraphrase; "How many of you saw the twenty sevrn edible plants out in the lawn out front here? How many of you know that four doe deer and two bucks crossed the lawn out front between 0430 qnd 0745? None of you? Well, that's because you haven't learned to pay attention!"
After the moring session, Dr. Wierwille reportedly took him outside and said to him; "Show me all of the edible plants, and all of the deer sign". And reportedly, the guy answered that he couldn't and then Dr. Wierwille told him; "Don't .... my people. Now from now on, teach 'em straight"...
But I did read his two books, The Tracker and the Search which were excellent, and I thought it good that the guy shared his info with Wayfers. I mean, I like outdoors stuff, and alot does go on around us in the natural world that we just don't see because "we don't think to look"...."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...ost&p=25572
"No hey, Igotout, I still think that Tom Brown was/is rather extraordinary! And I am sure that with his acuired skills that had (among other things) a lot to do with not running his mouth and paying attention to his surroundings, that it might have been tempting for him to get a bit cynical with folks of lesser skills, and therefore stretch things sometimes. I mean, I don't think he was a complete phony or anything.
But the guy who told me of this, S.A., one of the original LEAD guys, and really a reputable person to this day (no longer "in"), and he said that Tom Brown was a tad bit full of himself by the time he got around doing seminars and such, at least when he did the one for Way folks. My friend did say that the guy was way way knowledgeable in the skills of woodcraft, tracking and all of that, and that it was well worth sitting through his class.
And yes, one morning, I saw an eight point buck deer right inside the BRC, camouflaged behind the coat rack that was filled up with cammo MAL coats. Someone had actually hung their coat on one of his antlers. Hmmph. Showed how spiritually sharp THEY were. I went over to it. It was eating from a bowl of twenty seven edible herbs that I had picked while on bless patrol that morning and had stashed under the coat racks. I took out my MAL knife, whispered a little prayer into it's ear, and then took him out side and then sliced his throat. Then me and Tom Brown butchered him up and there was venison for all!
No, I never saw any deer on grounds, but I did help Don Wierwille buthcher a buck that he shot somewhere south of HQ along the Miami River. There was a guy named Dean Tallarida who was a Union Butcher from Philadelphia, and he gave us a demonstration on how to butcher meat. He said that he'd never butchered a deer before, but it was all about the same as beef, and was therefore very interesting to him. It was really interesting to me too. So really, I didn't actually help, I got to watch, and then help wrap and label the cuts."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...ost&p=73592
"I recall an occasion when veepee was sitting with the 10th corps while others were discussing how great this "Tracker" guy, Tom Brown was. Some 8th corps had just returned from the "Tracker school" and were sharing about what a sharp guy Brown was in so many ways, etc, etc. Everybody was obviously impressed and the focus was on a story being told about how Brown snuck up on a deer or something, when all of a sudden Veepee leaps to his feet and shouts angrily, "DO YOU THINK HE COULD SNEAK UP ON ME?"...Suddenly the attention was back on wierwille, where he wanted it to be. He went on with some blather about how acute his spiritual senses were. Everybody ooohed and ahhhed and things were right again in wayworld. Scheeesh!"
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hooner
Maybe VP and Tom should have been driven out to the woods for a night to set the record straight.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=120438
"When I was on staff at HQ, Joe C. informed me that I'd be running video during the tues night corps meeting. I objected, reminding him that I wasn't corps (I'd gotten that smart already). He said it was all cleared with the leadership and I would do it.
Well anyway, things were going just fine, VPW was leading the meeting and soon after it started, he asked a guy to stand and give a report on a class he had attended. The class was run by non-twi people and it was about tracking. Tracking as in following animal tracks.
The guy gave a very nice talk on what he had learned. He liked the class a lot and was highly favorable of it. Then he made the mistake of saying it was more valuable to him than Lead. VPW went ballistic. He ripped into the guy for a good 5 minutes. Said he had a prideful spirit, said he didn't deserve to be corps, etc, etc... I think VPW ended it by ordering the guy out of the BRC and out of the corps.
I had never heard such an attack on another person in my whole life. Not at home, not in school, not in the Army, not in the workplace.
At that moment, I realized that I was in a cult run by a sick man. It was a couple of years before I got out, but nonetheless that moment was a crystalizing point in time."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=120472
"I was there too.
Wierwille went ballistic......because many of the corps seated up front with vpw were LEAD staff and had specifically gone to this tracker school to learn some things. All was fine until Dxvid Dxwxxd said that this tracker guy's class was better than LEAD.
Yes, wierwille had a ....y fit, yelling and pointing and stomping back and forth, and glaring at David......said he was possessed!!! Another stunning memory that one doesn't tell wierwille that SOMEONE ELSE'S CLASS is better than veepee corps stuff!!!
David wasn't possessed........sheeeesh. This 8th corps guy loved the outdoors, he built his own cabin, he was well equipped in all types of outdoor situations.....and is now a successful businessman.
If anyone was possessed in that meeting.....wierwille got my vote."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=120497
"I knew he wasn't possessed. And I would hope that most of the people there knew that he wasn't possessed. That was part of the insanity of the whole thing. David had a great time at the class. It suited him better than Lead and he made the mistake of being truthful about it. And then, in an instant, the wrath of VPW strikes him like a bolt of lightning."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=120499
"David did NOTHING to warrant such ripping, scathing, verbal abuse that night. NOTHING! Wierwille just didn't want to hear it.
As best I remember, the book The Tracker was written by Tom Brown....and later, he took enterprising steps towards seminars for those who wanted to learn foundational and advanced techniques in tracking. This tracker book was suggested reading for corps.
Maybe wierwille had visions of running his own "advanced tracking seminar".... until David endorsed Tom Brown's."
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=382112
"There I was.....
Sitting in the BRC (in 1980?) during one of those corps-sharing times......only THIS time, vpw had five or six corps up front who had returned from The Tracker School. After plenty of preliminary stuff.....ie the inrez corps guy led off with his spiel for about 10 minutes, letting wierwille sit back until the meeting got going.....then wierwille starts. He talks about the importance of learning, learning from anyone who is an expert in their field and all that. Thus, he felt it was important for these corps to attend The Tracker School.
Well......all was fine as the corps shared some of the neat things they had learned.....UNTIL one LEAD-type corps guy shared how this Tracker Guy was amazing!! In fact, his perception and awareness of his surroundings, and life itself, was truly jaw-dropping. This Tracker Guy was unbelievable.....etc. SUDDENLY.....wierwille lashes into this corps guy with a vicious venom that I'd never seen before. Wierwille was livid.......and all of us in the BRC were stunned by his outlandish outbursts!!!
As this venom escalated, wierwille glared at this corps guy and said that he was POZZEZZED......yep, he has spirits in his braincells. The corps guy stood his ground. It seemed like everyone in the BRC had stopped breathing. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. In public view, wierwille was on the spot.....and this corps guy didn't seem to flinch. What was wierwille to do???? Yell some more......visibly fume.....and stomp out.
You tell me what you think about wierwille.....and I'll tell you ANOTHER side of the man."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=382113
"At a similiar type of sharing at Emporia, one gal was sharing on "the Tracker guy" and how sharp he was. She said something to the effect that he knew how to sneak up on someone. Vp was at lunch that day and all of a sudden we heard him come over a separate mike,
"He could never sneak up on me. Father would tell me." The woman just shut up and looked embarassed. The reason for her sharing had just been taken away from her.
Not the same kind of face-melting, but still quite embarassing.
It didn't matter what he was promoting because ultimately vp was always promoting himself."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=382848
""The Tracker" is Tom Brown, Jr. HERE'S a link to his school.
You can probably find a copy of his autobiography The Tracker around somewhere... it's a great read and has a lot of valuable information for living life."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383024
"in the late 70's he was just beginning to be talked about... there's a lot of great knowledge and wisdom in the first two books The Tracker and the second one (although I don't remember the name)... he's also written a number of field/survival guides..."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383044
"Outfield, As far as I know, only a few folks got sent to the Tracker School. The people I know that got sent there ended up being on staff at LEAD.
We all know how well that worked out...."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383060
"I'd suppose vp looked to add something "cool" in the corps program, but it had to be in light of him being the great master of all. The concept of bringing in experts on various subjects to teach for a few days is interesting, but vp couldn't be outdone ... so he had to claim MOGFOT status over any threat.
The guy that did the astronomy work on JC Our Promised Seed ran into conflicts somewhere ... he obviously knew a ton more than VP, but something had to be VP's way, I forget now. It seems that was a big issue, but somehow twi claimed ownership and published the book, with VP's name on it..
I'm sure many good innovative people and ideas were stomped out because they conflicted with these top dog egos."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383067
"To claim cult status you have to have the mog in front.
Tom Brown came to HQ to run his school in Dec. of 80.
A few had gone to New J to take it before he came.
VP was at HQ at that time for a few days because it was during the
time the Christmas party was there.
It was a fun school. I was raised a very much out door kind of guy and
still love it to this day.
VP could go off at anything that took away from he being the head.
I guess JC had a time making his way in our lives.
VP would of and did knock him out of the lime light putting himself
and the word before him."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383415
"Oh,yes, the tracker guy-
In 91, I took a survival class at Rome City, the guy that came was trained by Mr.Brown, he promoted his book as well.Brown has schools in 3 cities. I also remember them saying if the President ever got lost in the mountains that Mr.Brown would be sent to find him cause of his abilities to survive in the wild..."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383525
"My hubby was charged with taking care of Tom Brown and his staff during this HQ tracker school. He observed "up close and personally" how VP reacted to having Tom Brown around.) He said VP was extremely jealous of Tom Brown. At the first dinner meal for the school which was served in the OSC, Tom Brown and his staff went and served themselves as soon as the food was set out (of course not knowing anything about HQ protocol.) VP was livid that he got his food before the MOG got his. VP reamed Tom Brown, "You think you're the Tracker, but you're nothing....", cursing at him and tearing into him. This was the 1st night of the school. Tom Brown's staff wanted him to leave after this, but TB was gracious enough to stay.
Another time during that school Tom Brown, who was a chain-smoker, lit a cigarette up in the BRC, while he was teaching his class. VP was so put out with TB because he was the only one allowed to smoke in the BRC.
They also hated the food at HQ and they were very grateful to hubby for making a "McDonald's run" for them."
http://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/index.ph...st&p=383721
"Vic loved to find "experts" in worldly fields and laud them to the sky, because he would follow that by saying that WE could do better because we had holy spirit and the rightly-divided Word of God, as given to us by the MOG and TWI. The whole thing was always intended to make Vic look better, not the 'worldly' expert!! That's why he would just go off the deep end when someone got a little too impressed with the guest."
Link to comment
Share on other sites
socks
No stories, although I have a dog eared copy of the book "The Tracker". Good book.
And he's still around - HIS SITE.
A guy who finds the lost. Cool work.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tom Strange
I read both The Tracker[/] and The Search. I would recommend The Tracker to anyone... there's lots of 'life lessons' in it... and loads of "how to" information to be gleaned... the one thing I always remember whenever it's getting a little chilly is the mind trick he used of "the cold is my friend" and convinced himself not to be too affected by it... and lots of other stuff...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ex70sHouston
WELL I SNUCK UP ON HIM. Well I caught him with just his fruit of the lums. There was a meeting at the University of Houston back in 76/77. Someone told me to go out to the buss and get some boxes of material. I go bounding into the buss and there is the good old Doc in his skiveess. Shouldn't he have known I was coming. That is the only time I had a one on one meeting with him. I can still remember the look he gave me. Just ask me what I was doing and let me get the box and leave. No face melt or anything.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
he thought you was a girl
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WordWolf
Then again,
if my front door was open and anyone COULD walk in,
I wouldn't be in my skivvies.
I don't need Father to tell me that wasn't prudent.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.