Soldier Shot During Special Forces Training Event After Live Ammo Mixed in with Blanks
Military.com | By Steve Beynon
Updated May 07, 2024 at 10:04 a.m. ET | Published May 06, 2024 at 3:44pm ET
All live weapon training for the Army's Special Forces units, and most of the elements that support them, will be shut down for much of this week due to a safety stand-down -- after a soldier was accidentally shot during a training event, the service confirmed to Military.com.
A 7th Infantry Division soldier at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state was accidentally shot April 25 by another soldier with an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW, light machine gun, according to one source with direct knowledge of the situation. The injured soldier was in stable condition and recovering at Madigan Army Medical Center.
Starting Tuesday, all Special Forces, civil affairs and psychological operations units will have a three-day safety stand-down. The pause includes all scheduled live weapons training being canceled, according to Maj. Russell Gordon, a spokesperson for 1st Special Forces Command. It was unclear which unit the shooter is assigned to. The base is home to the 1st Special Forces Group.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/05/06/special-forces-training-shuts-down-after-soldier-accidentally-shot-live-ammo-machine-gun.html
