• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Two soldiers killed in Polk training accident

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 14) -- Two soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division died at about 5:20 a.m. today when they were ran over by an M1 tank at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La.

The soldiers were not part of the tank crew but were in the vicinity of the vehicle when the accident occurred.

The names of the soldiers killed are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. However, both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Both soldiers were taken to the hospital on Fort Polk by air ambulance but died from their injuries. The unit was training on Military Operations in Urban Terrain when the accident occurred.

"Our deepest sympathy goes to the families of these soldiers," said Brig. Gen. Jason K. Kamiya, commander of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.

The U.S. Army Safety Center is sending a team to Fort Polk to investigate the accident.

Elements from Fort Riley, Kan., are also deployed to JRTC and training with the Fort Campbell soldiers. No Fort Riley soldiers were killed or injured in the accident.

(Editor's note: The information was compiled from news releases from the Fort Riley, Fort Polk and Fort Campbell Public Affairs Offices.)