3 soldiers die at Ga. Army base
Armored vehicle flips
Three soldiers were killed and three more hospitalized on Sunday after their armored vehicle was involved in an accident during a training exercise in Georgia, the Army said.
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team soldiers were all in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle when it flipped and rolled into water at the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airf ield, military off icials said in a statement.
No further details were given as to what happened to the treaded vehicle, which is similar to a tank but smaller and with less f irepower.
“Today is a heartbreaking day for the 3rd Infantry Division, and the entire Fort StewartHunter Army Airf ield community, as we are all devastated after a training accident this morning,” said Maj. Gen. Tony Aguto, the 3rd Infantry Division’s commanding general.
“We are extremely saddened by the loss of three Dogface Soldiers, and injuries to three more. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families affected by this tragedy.”
The three injured soldiers were evacuated and taken to Winn Army Community Hospital, where they were evaluated and treated.
Two were released later in the day, and the other was transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
Off icials said they’ll publicly identify the dead soldiers once their next of kin are notif ied.
The 25-ton Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which is used as a “protected transport,” has been involved in other recent deadly accidents.
Last month, a soldier at Fort Hood in Texas died after he was injured while doing maintenance on the same type of armored vehicle.
A 22-year-old combat engineer was also killed in January during a training accident at the National Training Center at Fort Hood when the Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was riding on rolled over. Three other soldiers were also injured in that accident.
The 3rd Infantry Division and the US Army Combat Readiness Center said they are investigating how the accident unfolded Sunday.
All six soldiers involved in the accident Sunday were members of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, which is often referred to as Dogface.
Fort Stewart-Hunter employs more than 22,500 people and has 288,000 acres for “unequaled joint training opportunities along the Eastern seaboard for all branches of the military,” according to the Army’s Web site.