Training Accident Brings Frustration/Uncertainty

[Spartan]

In December of this year, a young man who was scheduled to go to RIP volunteered to go to the field to be an OPFOR for the 3rd Ranger Bn. The young man was shot by live ammunition in an excercise where only blank ammunition was supposed to be used. The young soldier, despite several surgeries is still in danger of losing his leg.

This is a regrettable, unfortuntate, and life changing accident that is undoubtedly serving as a reminder to the entire Chain of Command in the 75th Ranger Regiment of the importance of securing live ammo after all training events.

Unfortunately the reveiwing officer for the safety investigation which follows such an incident is unavailable to review and sign off on the report, as is normal procedure. I don't know how many of you have been aware of this incident. It certainly does not portray the Regiment in the best light. This is not the first time, nor unfortunately, do I believe it will be the last accident of it's type.

When realistic training is done on a regular basis in order to go to war as ordered by the National Command Authority, incidents of this type, while usually preventable, do happen from time to time. All SOF regularly go through very intensive training to keep the sharp edge which they need to be effective. It's the nature of the beast.

My heart goes out the young service member, Justin Johnson, and his family while waiting for the review to be completed. He's got a long road ahead of him and certainly a different life in front of him than what he had planned. It seems unfortunate to me when members of the media try to coax such statements out of grieving, frustrated parents as "it's going to take months or years for this [study] to be done", just to make hay in their articles.

Story here.

[Creeping Death]

Hey, I know, let's villify the CO while he's overseas fighting the war!

For the love of God! Sometimes I despise journalists.

Although, I hope young Justin makes a full and complete recovery, and soon.

[Looon]

That is definately the wrong way to "TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM".

Somebody will eventually have to awnser for it.

For you future Rangers, remeber: ATTENTION TO DETAIL!!! You dont really know the full affect it can have until something goes terribly wrong.

My deepest sympathies are with Justin and his family. Get well.

[rangercamaro]

Some one please tell me someone got DX'ed for this bullshit!!! NO room for safety issues!!! I understand training accidents happen but the need to DX will ensure attention to detail and safety issues to current/future Rangers.

All the best to the young soldier and hope he heals fully!

[Silverback]

I can tell you all that this is a little more than a mistake. It boils down to one person and realistically that person is not the commander. The commander entrusts the NCOs to make sure this doesn't happen. After a similar mistake about 4 years ago (also at benning), range regulations were changed to avoid this happening. If you are at a range and you are doing multiple iterations with live fire culmination, you are required to seperate live and blank ammunition by time and space. The only way this could have happened is if the fire team leader and the range safety failed to conduct a proper MANDATORY breech inspection. There is nothing wrong with checking the breech with a white lense flashlight and a rod during training. Every time something like this happens we (NCOs) look like a bunch of clowns.

[IRONS]

SOME ONE BETTER CATCH THAT GUY.

[Parabellum]

Thanks.

[JB]

If I may ask, how did no one notice that this soldier did not have his blank firing adapter on?

[Dublo]

Good question JB! There is no telling though, and hopefully they will get it all worked out, I just hope that the guy has a full recovery.

[clockworkjustin]

first of all, i need tointroduce myself....i am justin johnson, the one that got shot in training.....let me give you all the facts:
1.)the guy took a magazine of live ammo off of a range and kept it in his kevlar vest for a week
2.)he got his two magazines of blank's issued
3.)then he went through his first magazine of blank's and loaded his magazine of live rounds
4.)he then fired and blew the blank adaptor off of his rifle
5.)he was a CPL so he went to a PFC and took his blank adaptor
6.)then he shot me twice, once in each leg
7.)while the medics were working on me he dropped his magazine of live rounds and laoded a magazine of blank rounds in
8.)then when he thought noone was looking he threw the live rounds in the woods
9.)someone saw him
10.)the batallion commander gave him a field grade article 15

this is all the truth, if you don't believe me look at www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com go to archives and search for justin johnson or e-mail me at clockworkjustin@hotmail.com

[Horned Toad]

Well how are you healing up?

I knew there was a reason I used one of the old 20 rounder magazines for my contingency mag.

[RRDTm3]

Please tell us what you got for your compensation?

[clockworkjustin]

The army finally got their shit in gear and i got my dd214 on september 20th. i'm gonna be getting va benefits as soon as possible because they're alot better than army benefits. my right leg is still pretty weak so i can't bear all my weight on it. i was on crutches for a while, but i have a pressure ulcer on my hell that's keeping me from putting weight on my left leg, which is the stronger leg, so i've been in a wheelchair for a while.
just so you know, i have titanium rods in my right femur and my left tibia, those are the two areas where i was shot. i had another skin graft done last week and if it takes all right, then i should be back on crutches and back in therapy in the next couple of weeks

[BadMuther]

Are they still looking at amputation?

Hang in there buddy, we all feel for you.