Uniformed Guardsman, with training rifle, warned by police after run near school

UPDATE: Police gave a warning to an Iowa National Guardsman who caused a stir Thursday by running along a road in full combat gear carrying what looked like a real rifle.

Police caught up to the soldier around 11 a.m. near Wright Brothers Boulevard SW after multiple citizen reports. Apparently, the rifle was a mostly-rubber replica, referred to by Guardsman as a “rubber duck.”

Police Lt. Kelly Fitzpatrick said the soldier was from the base nearby and went for a training run. The officers who responded to the area advised him that it wasn't very smart.

“He certainly didn't use the amount of moxie and common sense that you would expect people to exhibit in present day,” Fitzpatrick said. “I mean, Prairie (High School) is only a stone's throw from there.”

The soldier was not arrested, and his name was not released by police or the National Guard.

“He was given a stern admonishment that what he was doing was not appropriate,” Fitzpatrick said.

Col. Greg Hapgood, spokesman for the Guard, said the soldier was doing physical fitness training and wanted to carry a realistic amount of weight. He said its not uncommon to see soldiers training in public, but they are advised not to carry a weapon or a replica.

“The soldier was doing the best he could to make the training realistic,” Hapgood said. “But maybe he should have thought a little more about how he was doing that.”

Hapgood said Thursday's incident has sparked a review of training policies, to see if they need to be more specific.