Podcast Summary: Sasquatch Chronicles – EP 1220: The Fort Benning Incident

Release Date: January 11, 2026
Host: Wes Germer
Guest: "Tex"

Main Theme

In this gripping episode, Sasquatch Chronicles host Wes Germer speaks with a U.S. Army veteran, "Tex," about his harrowing encounter with an unidentified creature during a military training exercise in the forests of Fort Benning, Georgia. The episode delves into the details of the encounter, explores the impact on those involved, discusses the military’s reaction, and ponders the wider implications about government knowledge of Sasquatch. The tone is candid and respectful, providing an open space for the witness to process and share a deeply unsettling, life-altering event.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & Background

• The host introduces Tex as a recent Army trainee who, during autumn 2024, had an encounter during a field exercise at Fort Benning.
• Tex’s military background and family tradition of service are discussed, as well as details about field exercises and ruck marches at the base.
• Tex and his company purposefully set up their camp deeper in the woods for tactical advantages, which may have exposed them to this incident.

The First Encounter: Rock Throwing and the "Boulder"

[04:00 - 22:00]

• Tex recounts how, during a midnight security rotation, he and fellow soldier Hal began to notice unusual movements and objects—a stick and several rocks—being thrown into their foxholes.
  • “There were some kinds of movement out in our 12 o’clock and our 10 o'clock…It was more of like, slow one step, kind of slow, deliberate.” (Tex, 10:11)
• When Hal spotted what he thought was an “eight-foot tall boulder” near a tree where no boulders had previously been, tension escalated.
• The soldiers attempted to challenge the figure with password codes—standard military protocol—but received no response.
  • “He threw out the challenge password and there was nothing, no movement, no words, nothing.” (Tex, 18:30)
• Fearing an attack, the soldiers opened fire with blanks, causing the “boulder” to rise up, turn, and flee with blinding speed.
  • “[Hal] said, ‘That boulder got up and took four steps and it was gone.’” (Tex, 21:19)
• All other units joined in with machine-gun blanks before their drill sergeant intervened and secured the situation.

The Fallout: Emotional Impact & Military Reaction

[22:00 - 31:00]

• Hal, visibly shaken, could not sleep or engage with others for hours after the event.
• Tex describes the process of rotation, daytime activities, and Hal’s continued distress—remarking on the lasting psychological effect.
• The platoon discusses the incident jokingly to cope, but Hal does not join in the laughter, highlighting the trauma’s depth.

The Second Encounter: Night Patrol & Direct Contact

[31:00 - 45:00]

• During a two-man night patrol, Tex and Hal notice the woods have become completely silent—a typical “eerie” omen often recounted in Sasquatch accounts.
  • “The air turned colder and everything was dead quiet....This isn’t right.” (Tex, 34:55)
• They detect multiple large figures paralleling them: “we had three of something stalking us.” (Tex, 41:25)
• A potent stench—“like wet dog, musky rot” and “roadkill”—fills the air, increasing anxiety.
• The entities mirror their movements and respond to a human whistle in kind, suggesting intelligence.
  • “Whatever was behind me let out a whistle. And it was the exact whistle that he just did to me, but it was not me.” (Tex, 44:00)

Climax: Face-to-Face with the "Boulder"

[45:00 - 48:30]

• Tex and Hal become disoriented, seemingly unable to navigate back to base, possibly being led astray by the creatures.
• They come face-to-face with the “boulder,” which stands up revealing its full height—8 to 9 feet—massive muscle, long arms, and shaggy reddish-brown hair.
  • “When that whistle comes through and that thing stands up, it just turns...walks that way. And me and him were just standing there…” (Tex, 47:00)
• In the peak of fear, Tex accidentally strikes his drill sergeant, mistaking him for the creature; the sergeant and others finally find Tex and Hal, both in shock and a mile off-course.

Aftermath: Military Silence & Debrief

[52:56 - 59:54]

• Upon returning, instead of disciplining the pair, the drill sergeant calls them into a private meeting and orders them never to speak of the incident:
  • “Whatever happened, I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want you telling your buddies about it. And it’s not to leave this ring ever.” (Drill Sergeant, paraphrased by Tex, 53:36)
• Notably, there is no paperwork or documentation—unusual in military proceedings—emphasizing deliberate suppression.
  • “Army is almost all paperwork. Everything you do, there’s a piece of paper for everything...there was no paper whatsoever.” (Tex, 58:36)
• Tex and Hal make a pact to only share the story with trusted individuals.

Wider Reflections on Military & Government Response

[59:54 - 75:03]

• Host Wes notes this pattern of enforced silence is echoed in other military Sasquatch encounters across U.S. bases.
• Tex speculates that the government is aware of these creatures and intentionally suppresses information to maintain control.
  • “I think the government knows that there are Bigfoot out there on Fort Benning...and they’ve talked to them like, hey, we don’t talk about it.” (Tex, 61:32)
• The conversation explores why there is a lack of transparency and why the government might not consider these creatures an imminent threat, given the continued unarmed training exercises in such regions.

Discussion on Sasquatch Nature & Legacy

[75:03 - 78:38]

• Tex describes the creature as more “man” than animal, suggesting high intelligence based on behavior, social structure, and evidence of nest-building.
  • “Honestly, I honestly think it’s more manly of a creature than, you know, than an animal.” (Tex, 77:23)
• The episode concludes with reflections on the importance of sharing these stories, the role of cultural belief (Native American language and stories), and the need for a safe space for witnesses.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Creature’s Movement:
  “It was like the moonlight was coming down...but you could still see...I started hearing, like, thuds in front of me. And I was...there’s these pebbles about the size of my thumb, and they’re laying in front of me on top of the dirt.” (Tex, 12:10)

• On the “Boulder” Moving:
  “That boulder got up and took four steps and it was gone.” (Hal, quoted by Tex, 21:19)

• On Military Response:
  “Whatever happened, I don’t want to hear about it. I don’t want you telling your buddies about it. And it’s not to leave this ring ever.” (Drill Sergeant, paraphrased by Tex, 53:36)

• On the Smell:
  “It’s like wet dog, musky rot odor...if you take roadkill and let it bake out in the sun...it smell absolutely putrid.” (Tex, 40:28)

• On Government Knowledge:
  “I think the government knows that there’s Bigfoot out there on Fort Benning, and there’s people that know it out there, and...they’ve talked to them like, hey, we don’t talk about it...” (Tex, 61:32)

• On Sasquatch’s Nature:
  “I think it’s more of a man, honestly...I think it’s an animal, but I think it’s a lot more man...” (Tex, 77:23)

• On Cultural Legacy:
  “Indians—all in almost all tribes—have words for animals...why would they have a word for an animal that doesn’t exist?” (Tex, 66:30)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 04:00 | Initial encounter setup and discussion | | 10:11 | First movements, rocks/sticks thrown | | 18:30 | Challenge password/soldiers open fire | | 21:19 | Description of “boulder” rising and fleeing | | 31:00 | Emotional aftermath | | 34:55 | Second patrol, silence in woods, sense of being watched| | 41:25 | Realization of being paralleled/stalked by multiple creatures| | 44:00 | Whistle mimicry from creature | | 45:00 | Disorientation, encounter with upright “boulder” | | 52:56 | Drill sergeant’s reaction and order to keep silent | | 58:36 | Discussion on lack of official documentation | | 61:32 | Tex on government knowledge and suppression | | 66:30 | Indigenous perspectives, cultural beliefs | | 75:11 | Tex’s opinion: Sasquatch, man or animal? | | 77:23 | Final reflections, nature of the creature | | 78:06 | Closing thanks and farewells |

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Tex’s forthright account provides a detailed, emotionally raw look at an encounter with a massive, intelligent unknown creature while on U.S. soil during active military training.
• The military’s response—a firm, undocumented order of silence—suggests institutional knowledge and suppression of such phenomena.
• The conversation connects personal experience to wider patterns—from indigenous knowledge to government secrecy—framing the mystery of Bigfoot as both a cultural and a bureaucratic enigma.
• Listeners are left with a profound sense of the psychological impact these encounters have, the camaraderie among service members, and the ongoing quest for answers in the face of the unknown.

For more witness accounts, Bigfoot news, and exclusive content, visit SasquatchChronicles.com.