We've all seen people fall in formation from the heat...any unique stories regarding that?

SMSgt Tony Barnes — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 10:34:00 -0400

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Aug 8 at 2015 11:06 AM

SSgt Terry P. — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 11:06:17 -0400

Wasn't heat but locked my knees and fell backwards and banged my head on the deck, thanks to the members behind me moving out of the way so i could fall unencumbered .LOL

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 8 at 2015 11:14 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 11:14:56 -0400

I was in Africa last year, and JTF-HOA decided to hold a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony.
Sounds good.
Until they decided to hold it out in the open on the astroturf athletic field. Despite having 11degrees North (air conditioned) or the Thunderdome (Covered) available.
At 1000.
When the temperature was usually around 105 degrees or so.
Then made everyone not on duty (most) attend, even though they spent all of their days in air-conditioned rooms.
Then we will stand in formation. For a long time, since we all need rehearsals on how to stand there at parade rest.
The first guy fell out about ten minutes in. To the planner's credit, they had medics standing by on a gator, who treated the fallen man.
Then comes another.
And another.
Seeing the issue, the medics call the base fire department for assistance.
Soon, the ambulance the Fire Department brought was overwhelmed as well.
So they send up the mass casualty alert, and all sorts of assets swoop in as the dwindling survivors endure speaches and such.
I didn't get a good count on the total personnel that fell out from my vantage point, but it approached 20.
They cut the ceremony slightly shorter, but it was an embarrassment to all involved.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Aug 8 at 2015 7:30 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:30:22 -0400

I once attended a Change of Command where one of the primary staff officers fell the hell out, the Adjutant knelt down and started rubbing the officers head and telling him he was going to be ok (this was in front of the Division Commander!).....mind you I had just finished fighting for a year in Afghanistan, I couldn't help but think Holy Jesus, what has this Army come to!?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 8 at 2015 7:32 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:32:16 -0400

Not me, I used forced hydration.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 8 at 2015 7:41 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:41:28 -0400

I heard its bad to fix bayonet in tight formations. Of course I am not answering your question.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 8 at 2015 7:48 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:48:16 -0400

We had a number of individuals retiring while I was stationed at Patrick AFB with the 2 Combat Communications Group. The organizers decided we would have a full parade, in service dress, on the flight line, in April, between two rather large bodies of water (Banana River and Atlantic Ocean). All said and done, we lost about a dozen (if I recall correctly) and the two ranking O-6's (Med Grp CC and 2 CCGrp CC) got into a Urination Olympiad over the whole deal.

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 8 at 2015 7:50 PM

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:50:17 -0400

So this has nothing to do with heat or formations or the military in general but, this year at candlelight at disney (its a choir thing where choirs from high school sing like a Christmas story on stage at epcot while a celebrity narator reads a story) there was about 200 people on a stage for an hour in hot clothes all packed shoulder to shoulder with tons of lights on us. It felt atleast 100 degrees. So many people were dropping from locking their knees. Atleast 15 fell out within the hour from our school and others. We were told keep going and disney personnel came up in dark clothes and pulled the passed out people off stage. Best part was that after we got a 20 min break and went and did another show.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2015 2:16 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 02:16:51 -0400

A few months ago, I saw a company guidon bearer face plant on concrete during a battalion change of command. The commander held the guidon up while waiting for someone to drag the Soldier off (he was laying there in front for about 10 seconds). I thought the poor guy had a concussion.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 9 at 2015 10:04 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 10:04:53 -0400

Don't lock your knees!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Feb 20 at 2019 5:56 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:56:14 -0500

SMSgt Tony Barnes On my very first visit to Ft Irwin, (before NTC), I formed the company for a head count and the weapons sergeant immediately passed out and and went down.

Some introduction to the desert!

Response by LTC John Griscom made Jan 2 at 2020 5:33 PM

LTC John Griscom — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:33:03 -0500

The ones I've seen fall out are like a board; there's no folding, just straight out stiff. Unless the medics come, the soldier lays there until the formation is dismissed.
Largest formation I ever saw was at Fort Benning in 1965. The 11th Air Assault and 2nd Infantry Divisions, the 197th Infantry Brigade and some small units. Several troops passed out there.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2020 11:52 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 23:52:52 -0500

I doesn’t really get hot in Hawaii but during a Change of Command we were formed up with bayonets fixed. The out-going officer remembered the three B’s (Be quick, Be brief, Be gone), the in-coming, not so much. Again, not hot, but definitely in the Hawaiian sun this guy ahead and one or two places to my right started to wobble. I’m pretty sure everyone near who could see it coming had their eyes locked on that bayonet. Down he went, straight as a board, and the sea parted. Once he was safe in his napping position the sea went back into position. Sweet dreams, Private.