Showing posts with label military training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military training. Show all posts

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Soldier Died, Another Wounded During Fork Polk Training

Fort Polk soldier killed in training incident
NOLA Times Picayune
Paul Purpura
September 12, 2014
An Army medic tries to shield a 'wounded' soldier during a combat training exercise at Fort Polk in 2003. Thousands of troops have undergone combat training at the Army post in west-central Louisiana, before deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. (Ted Jackson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

A soldier who returned home from Afghanistan eight months ago was killed and another one was injured while training at Fort Polk in west-central Louisiana, the Army post said Friday. Spc. Silas S. Jones, 22, of Marionville, Mo., died Wednesday in "a tactical vehicle incident," the post said.

The injured soldier's name was not released. He was flown to a regional hospital, according to the statement. The Army would not release more information "to protect the integrity of the investigation." The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and Fort Polk's Directorate of Emergency Services are investigating.
read more here

Monday, July 28, 2014

Fort Campbell Soldier from Florida Killed in Training Accident at Fort Polk

Fort Campbell soldier dies in training accident
The Leaf-Chronicle
July 27, 2014

FORT POLK, La. – A 101st Airborne soldier died during training on Thursday during what was termed "a routine vehicle movement to a training area" at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana..

According to a spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Sgt. Tyler A. Zody, 20, died as a result of an accident involving one vehicle that also injured three soldiers.

The incident is under investigation.

Zody was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team "Rakkasans" at Fort Campbell as a senior sniper.

"Tyler was a dedicated and talented young NCO," said Lt. Col. Marc Cloutier, Commander of the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment. "The Leader Battalion family will miss him dearly."

A native of Flemming Island, Florida, Zody was born Aug. 21, 1993. After he enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2011, Zody completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, as an infantryman. After graduating from training, he was assigned as a grenadier in Company A, 1st Bn, 187th Inf. Rgt in December of the same year.
read more here

Friday, March 7, 2014

Camp Pendleton relieves 2 after bomb blast investigation

2 relieved of command for blast that killed 4 Camp Pendleton Marines
LA Times
By Tony Perry
March 6, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON -- The explosion that killed four enlisted Marines during a Nov. 13 training exercise was probably caused when a grenade round was "dropped, kicked or bumped," according to a investigation report released Thursday.

The grenade set off an explosion among several hundred grenades and other shells that had been gathered for demolition.

As a result of the investigation, a captain and master sergeant were relieved of command -- an action that may end their careers.

Brig. Gen. John Bullard, commanding general of Marine Corps Installations West, said that the exact cause of the accident may never be known.

The four Marines were explosive ordnance disposal specialists who had been assigned to clear away thousands of rounds from one of the impact areas on the base.

The captain and master sergeant had failed to adequately assess the potential danger, the general concluded.
All four Marines had deployed to combat zones and been awarded a Combat Action Ribbon, awarded only to Marines who were under fire and returned fire.

Those killed were:
Staff Sgt. Mathew Marsh, 28, of Long Beach. He deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan.
Gunnery Sgt. Gregory Mullins, 31, of Bayou L'Ourse, La. He deployed twice to Afghanistan.
Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista, Calif. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Eric Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. He deployed to Iraq and three times to Afghanistan.
The four had a total of seven children, all under age 10. The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has awarded each child $30,000 in college scholarship support.
read more here

Camp Pendleton training accident claims lives of 4 Marines

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Soldier killed, 7 hurt in howitzer training exercise on Fort Bragg

26 minutes ago
Soldier killed, 7 hurt in training exercise on Fort Bragg
by Martha Quillin
The (Raleigh, N.C.) News and Observer
Published: February 21, 2014

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A training incident that killed one paratrooper from the 82nd Airborne Division and wounded seven others early Friday morning involved a howitzer in a live-fire exercise, according to the Army.

Two of the wounded soldiers were seriously injured, and five suffered minor injuries, said Capt. Douglas Ray, a spokesman for the 82nd. Friday night, one remained at Womack Army Medical Center on post and one was in Duke University Medical Center.

The families of the soldiers have all been notified, but the Army has not released their names or described the nature of their injuries.

It’s at least the second live-fire incident in which troops were injured during training at Fort Bragg in three years.

At a press conference, Ray read from a statement and said he could not take questions because the incident is under investigation by the 82nd, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Army Readiness/Safety Center.
read more here

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Camp Pendleton 18 year old Marine died treading water

Marine, 18, Dies Treading Water During Swim Test
Huffington Post
01/17/14 06:06

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Marine Corps is investigating the death of an 18-year-old Marine who died while treading water in a swimming pool during a screening test at Camp Pendleton.

Col. Sean D. Gibson told The Associated Press on Friday that Pfc. Joshua Islam died Monday afternoon while undergoing an initial screening test for an infantry school that involves treading water for 30 minutes in a swimming pool. The test is a precursor to the Marines' physically demanding reconnaissance training.
read more here

Sunday, January 12, 2014

US Marines training in Finland

Marines train to fight in the cold in Finland
Marine Corps Times
Gina Harkins Staff Writer
January 11, 2014

Marines with the Black Sea Rotational Force are training with Finnish soldiers for the first time, swapping skills on arctic and urban warfare in areas that average single-digit temperatures in January.

Two sergeants, a staff sergeant and a first lieutenant will spend three weeks training in Finland through late-January. It’s the first time the rotational force has participated in a bilateral exercise with soldiers from Finland’s Guard Jaeger Regiment, said 2nd Lt. Danielle Dixon, a spokeswoman for BSRF.

“The Jaeger Brigade is the premier winter training unit of the Finnish Defence Forces,” Dixon said.

“The troops specialize in various light infantry, cold weather operations in sub-arctic conditions and provide the Cold Weather Operations Basic Course to international students, such as the Marines.”
read more here