Texas ~ The Ft. Hood Flood

[exotix]

*update*

9 Fort Hood Soldiers Dead

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...ragedy-n585126

[Captain Obvious]

The news clip I heard today was that they were crossing a "passable waterway". Guess it wasn't that passable.

The creek below our place in MO flooded frequently, even with my truck I avoided going through it even if it looked low.

[Mini Me]

It's going to be that way going forward ... I remember the exact same thing happening last year around this time.

May is Texas wettest month, and floods are common.

[Kurmugeon]

The Army TRAINS for this stuff!

https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-97-61.pdf

RiverCrossing.jpg

Somebody Screwed UP!



If two or three people of 10 had drowned, it could be seen as a freak of weather and circumstance accident.

When an entire unit goes in a single flip event, somebody did not follow procedures!

We are smarter and tougher than this... or at least we were when I served, and I was electronics tech smart, pansy-ass Air Force fielding spy planes.

-

[Peter1469]

You don't need to take stupid risks in training.

Because an enemy might attack during rainy weather.

Surely well trained and led soldiers can survive a bit of weather and flooding.

If they can't, how will they survive the same under fire?

We cannot have all weather planes, ships, tanks and trucks, and man them with only fair weather soldiers.

Somebody screwed up. Some one didn't plan ahead, or attempted a foolish crossing.

Why were the soldiers still inside the vehicle while attempting a risky crossing? Why were they not slogging on foot behind, tethered together, with flotation devices at worn?

Who was on point probing with a pole-staff? Why was a vehicle traveling alone? Where was the rear guard spotters?

Were their ALICE packs rigged for flotation by packing trash-bags of Air?

Was Command keeping them apprised from satellite weather and water level imagery?

When things devolved, were Helicopters on standby for evac?

The rest of the Military will learn from it.

Military service is not for the meek or foolish.

Overall, after the cleanup, our military will be stronger!

-

[PolWatch]

such a waste of human life.....RIP

[waltky]

Fort Hood flood drowning deaths trigger multiple investigations...

Fort Hood Deaths in Flooding Raises Questions about Training
Jun 04, 2016 | Nine Fort Hood soldiers who died when a rain-swollen creek swept their vehicle into rushing waters were in the right place for their intended training, according to the U.S. Army. Yet the tragedy is prompting multiple investigations into the circumstances of the deaths and how the military may handle risky training conditions in the future.

The lead Army agency on safety and occupational health dispatched a team to Fort Hood on Friday to investigate the circumstances of the Thursday training exercise on the sprawling Army base. "In this case, we see that there can be something learned in the way of future prevention," said Michael Negard, spokesman for the Army's Combat Readiness Center. The center has previously produced reports with recommendations on how soldiers should approach inclement weather. However, Negard would not immediately release them and would not elaborate on whether the Army followed proper protocol when it continued with the training exercise, which turned deadly after days of heavy rain flooded a creek that Army officials said is not prone to flooding.

A U.S. Army and Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter search Lake Belton on June 3 for four missing soldiers from Fort Hood who were swept away by flood waters June 2 in their Army vehicle.

Speaking Friday in Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter expressed condolences to the families of those killed at Fort Hood as well as a pilot who died Thursday when his Blue Angels fighter jet crashed near Nashville, Tennessee. He said once investigations into those deaths are complete the military will take actions designed to prevent such incidents. The Combat Readiness Center's experts will examine the scene of the Fort Hood accident, collecting evidence on environmental, human and material factors and interviewing survivors and others involved with the fatal training. They will then compile a report and send it to the commanding unit. After 90 days, the report becomes public record. The agency's investigation may take at least several months. Last November four soldiers at Fort Hood were killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash during a routine training exercise, an incident the agency is still investigating. It is common for investigations to take between six and nine months, Negard said.

Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway said that 12 Fort Hood soldiers were on Thursday's convoy training exercise on a dirt road parallel to a paved road that the base had closed because of the risk of flooding. A rush of water overturned the 2½-ton Light Medium Tactical Vehicle. Two bodies were found in the vehicle and three others were found downstream from it hours later. The last four missing soldiers were found dead downstream Friday, said Maj. Gen. John Uberti, deputy Fort Hood commander. Three others pulled from the water were released Friday from Fort Hood's hospital, Uberti said at a Friday evening briefing. Broadway said the decision of whether to conduct training in dangerous conditions is left to the commander's discretion.

MORE

[Kurmugeon]

As I said, the Army TRAINS to do these sorts of operations, and they need to be able to take anything nature dishes out, and do it under enemy fire.

This accident would not have claimed any where near as many lives, and possibly none, if procedures had been followed.

We (the Military) never launches a plane, or ship, or a soldier goes into the field without risk. Managing those risks is the job!

Somebody screwed up!

We need to learn from it, and carry on with the the missions, including the training missions.

-

[Peter1469]

As I said, the Army TRAINS to do these sorts of operations, and they need to be able to take anything nature dishes out, and do it under enemy fire.

This accident would not have claimed any where near as many lives, and possibly none, if procedures had been followed.

We (the Military) never launches a plane, or ship, or a soldier goes into the field without risk. Managing those risks is the job!

Somebody screwed up!

We need to learn from it, and carry on with the the missions, including the training missions.

-

You don't need to keep a training operation going during a weather emergency. We couldn't get helicopter gunship support in combat operations during sand storms.

[waltky]

Names of Fort Hood soldiers who died in Texas flood accident released...

Army Identifies Nine Soldiers Who Died in Fort Hood Vehicle Accident
Jun 05, 2016 | The U.S. Army has identified the soldiers who died when the medium-duty truck they were riding in overturned in a rain-swollen creek at Fort Hood.

The service over the weekend released the names of the nine soldiers who were killed when their 2.5-ton Light Medium Tactical Vehicle overturned during a June 2 training accident at the sprawling Texas outpost. All but one were members of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The service members were Staff Sgt. Miguel Angel Colonvazquez, Spc. Christine Faith Armstrong, Spc. Yingming Sun, Pfc. Brandon Austin Banner, Pfc. Zachery Nathaniel Fuller, Pvt. Isaac Lee Deleon, Pvt. Eddy Raelaurin Gates, Pvt. Tysheena Lynette James, and Cadet Mitchell Alexander Winey. The ninth was expected to be named pending notification of family.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of nine brave soldiers in this training accident," Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a statement. "This tragedy has touched the 1st Cavalry Division, the Fort Hood community, and the entire Department of Defense. It painfully demonstrates, along with the loss of a Blue Angels ‎pilot this week, the risks our men and women in uniform take on behalf of the American people everyday. "I am immensely grateful for the efforts of the military and civilian personnel who responded to the Fort Hood incident, and for the safe recovery of three soldiers," Carter added. "We will learn from this incident and do what we can to prevent something like this from happening again. "To the families, friends and team mates of those lost, an entire nation extends its thoughts and prayers," he said. "Though no words can compensate‎ for such a painful and sudden loss, please know that our hearts are joined with yours in grief."

A Light Medium Tactical Vehicle from the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

The 12 soldiers participating in the convoy training exercise near Owl Creek were on a dirt road parallel to a paved road that the base had closed because of the risk of flooding when a rush of water overturned their vehicle, the Associated Press reported. Two bodies were found in the vehicle and three others were found downstream from it hours later, the news organization reported. The last four missing soldiers were found dead downstream Friday, it reported.

The Army said the circumstances of the accident are unknown. Its lead agency on safety and occupational health -- the Army Combat Readiness Center -- has dispatched a team to the installation to investigate the circumstances of the deaths and possibly how to handle similar risky training conditions in the future, according to AP. But that investigation may take several months. Four soldiers at Fort Hood last November were killed in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash during a routine training exercise -- an incident the agency is still investigating, according to AP.

The Army released the following biographical details about the deceased soldiers.