Posted on Aug 14, 2015
Lightning strike injures 40 RANGER Students, 4 instructors. Your first thought?
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What is your first thought about this?
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(Reuters) - Forty Army Ranger students and four instructors were struck by lightning in Florida during a training program aimed at protecting themselves from a thunderstorm's lightning bolts, the U.S. Army said on Thursday.
All 44 individuals were taken to a local hospital for treatment following the Wednesday afternoon incident at Eglin Air Force Base, in north Florida, the Army said in a statement.
Seventeen students and three instructors remained overnight at the hospital while the remaining students and instructor were treated and released, the statement said.
"The Ranger students and instructors reacted and got everyone proper medical care quickly,” said Colonel David Fivecoat, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade commander.
“Ranger students and instructors are tough, 31 students will return to training tonight (Thursday) and continue with increased medical monitoring as they try to earn their Ranger tab," he said.
Army Rangers are rapidly deployable troops trained for mountain, desert and swamp terrain and often go after special operations targets.
Ranger School is an intense weeks-long combat boot camp.
The students were in day seven of the 10-day training cycle, the Army said.
The Army Times news site said the Ranger trainees were in the "swamp phase" which focuses on waterborne operations.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/r-lightning-strike-injures-40-us-army-ranger-students-four-instructors-2015-8#ixzz3ioaIszCQ
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(Reuters) - Forty Army Ranger students and four instructors were struck by lightning in Florida during a training program aimed at protecting themselves from a thunderstorm's lightning bolts, the U.S. Army said on Thursday.
All 44 individuals were taken to a local hospital for treatment following the Wednesday afternoon incident at Eglin Air Force Base, in north Florida, the Army said in a statement.
Seventeen students and three instructors remained overnight at the hospital while the remaining students and instructor were treated and released, the statement said.
"The Ranger students and instructors reacted and got everyone proper medical care quickly,” said Colonel David Fivecoat, Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade commander.
“Ranger students and instructors are tough, 31 students will return to training tonight (Thursday) and continue with increased medical monitoring as they try to earn their Ranger tab," he said.
Army Rangers are rapidly deployable troops trained for mountain, desert and swamp terrain and often go after special operations targets.
Ranger School is an intense weeks-long combat boot camp.
The students were in day seven of the 10-day training cycle, the Army said.
The Army Times news site said the Ranger trainees were in the "swamp phase" which focuses on waterborne operations.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/r-lightning-strike-injures-40-us-army-ranger-students-four-instructors-2015-8#ixzz3ioaIszCQ
Posted in these groups: 
Ranger School
Ranger School
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 71
Lighting is bad down there. When I was in Florida Phase the strikes were so close you would lose you night vision due to the bright burst of light. Then came the lighting lock down. You just sit there getting rained on. Seems like they are on their way to a speedy recovery.
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CSM Michael J. Uhlig It's training, and training accidents DO happen.
That said, all the best, and my wishes to all involved for a speedy recovery !!
That said, all the best, and my wishes to all involved for a speedy recovery !!
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CPT (Join to see)
From what I understand it is. I can't say I have heard of lighting actually hitting students like this ever. When I was there we had to storms all the time. I was in FL in April. We just had to drop our gear and get sit down in the rain. It would be rough for something like this to knock them out.
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It's sucks this happened but no worse than the 50 Paratroopers injured during the last mass tactical night jump at Bragg! Injuries happen when you are training to be the best! With that said I hope they are all ok and recover quickly with no prolonged injury or side effects!
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Ranger + Lightning Strike = Pfffffffft
I hope the lightening wasn't hurt too bad.
I hope the lightening wasn't hurt too bad.
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MSG Brad Sand
I checked SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., the lightning is fine. It did giggle a bit and said "I'm sorry, so sorry...really I'm not sorry at all." Shameful. There was a time lightening respected soldiers but I hear they only Special Forces, communication units or others who put bolts on their patches?
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If there was no watch, warning or advisory for lightning issued, the forecasters at the 26th OWS are going to have one hell of a forecast review on that one. Weather flight probably will too.
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SSgt (Join to see)
I hear ya Matthew and I would probably be the forecaster making the call and pissing off the mission first types who think weather does not matter and saving lives does... in peace time.. Florida is one of the worst for lightning anywhere.
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SrA Matthew Knight
SSgt (Join to see) - Right? I am pretty sure TS is a good call almost everyday somewhere in that state.
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The odds of 44 Army Rangers being struck by lightning? - CNN.com
When lightning struck 44 Army Rangers this week in Florida, leaving 11 in the hospital, jaws must have dropped. What are the odds of that?
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Capt Seid Waddell
Hope the two women weren't hurt badly enough to knock them out of training. That would be a lousy way to fail the course.
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MSgt Jeff S.
Capt Seid Waddell My bet ..... the misogynist jokes will start after morning roll call.
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I would want to think that the instructors took the proper precautions having received prior weather warnings or in reaction to the oncoming weather. I fail to believe anyone pulled a Samuel L. Jackson from "Basic" and deliberately pushed troops into harms way.
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