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
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Ranger School
Ranger School
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 71
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Eglin is a known lightning hazard area. We had 3 soldiers killed during the Bold Eagle 81 exercise when lightning struck s division commo relay vehicle. You gotta be careful down there. Just glad no one was killed.
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First thought? An RI standing in the middle of the road yelling "One last SI check before we go into lightning lockdown. Hold up those rifles!" Happens all too often.
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I remember being in swamp phase in Florida this same time of year. They mad us stack our weapons together and spread out away from trees to prevent this.
It was a great thing because I slept my ass off during the admin pause.
I wonder if they still do that.
It was a great thing because I slept my ass off during the admin pause.
I wonder if they still do that.
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There is NO need for training in convective activity and Florida ranks amongst the highest in Lightning strikes across the world. This is a case of respecting weather and it's deadliness. The current situation in Florida is a well entrenched trough of Low Pressure that has been pounding the state with torrential rains. It is not safe and considering some places have received in excess of 30 inches of rain, this just baffles me. I would love to tear into those who allowed this to happen. It is inexcusable and I would have made sure they known the potential risk which was very high!!!!
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Wondering where the article is about that there were too few women in the strike proving women are not given same opportunities.....sorta kidding, but some find something in everything...
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I am sure if you look closely on the ground near the slab of concrete around the 4 Ranger Instructors that were injured, there some where God was writing the 11th and 12th Commandment; "Thou shall not have Female Rangers" and "Thou shall not allow LEGS to wear berets". Eh, just a guess on my part....
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