Month: November
Time: Between Sundown and 4 AM
Location: Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Description:
It was nearing the end of our Basic Training rotation and we had a few things to do before we graduated. We were to go on our three day bivouac in the wilds and then come back a couple days before actual graduation. We road marched into the location that we were going to be camping in, and set up our camp sites. There were shelter half tents scattered periodically through the area by the time it started getting dark. We went through the standard procedures that you follow when deployed before bedding down for the night.
I was in my tent and fell fast asleep. I must have been really tired. I have no idea how long I was asleep, but I woke up. I was lying there listening and it was eerily quiet. Something didn’t seem right and I couldn’t place my finger on it. I decided that the only way I was going to know for sure that everything was OK was to get out of my tent and see. I exited my tent feet first, and upon standing up I turned and was almost face to face with what I presumed to be another soldier. I stood there for a few seconds trying to figure out what this weirdo was doing. There was no movement, no sound, and no indication that they were concerned about me being there. In a low whisper I asked “What are you doing?” There was no response, no movement, and this ‘person’ just continued to stand there.
It was fairly dark, but there was enough moonlight that I could make out the clear silhouette of this supposed person. I began thinking to myself that maybe they didn’t hear me, and I asked a little bit louder “What are you doing?” Still nothing, no response, no movement, and I started to get a little concerned. All of a sudden I started to hear the sound of footsteps on the dirt roadway that was just 40, or so yards from my tent. I turned to see what was going on, and I could clearly see that it was another company of trainees moving into the area. I watched them for a few seconds, and then turned back to what I thought to be a person standing there. They were gone. No sign of them anywhere. I heard no movement from them, it was just like they disappeared into thin air. There were plenty of leaves and tree limb debris in the area that I surely would have heard them departing from my area.
I’m not saying this was a ghost, Bigfoot, or any other type of cryptid creature. I don’t know what it was, other than creepy as heck.