Training exercise turns into real life operation at Fort Hunter Liggett

UPDATE 7/19/2018 4 p.m.: We are learning more about a training exercise gone wrong at Fort Hunter Liggett in South Monterey County.

8,000 soldiers from across the country are at the garrison right now, participating in the U.S. Army Reserve’s Global Medic Combat Support Training Exercise. But what happened Wednesday night was not a drill.

“The rotor wash from a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collapsed two tents, injuring approximately 22 soldiers,” said Col. Davis Heflin, 91st Training Division Operations Officer.

The injuries were not life threatening, ranging from sore shoulders to a head trauma that turned out to be not as serious. While four soldiers were sent to hospitals in Templeton and Fresno, many of the injured were treated at the onsite Troop Medical Clinic.

The tents that they were in are considered sleeping tents that can normally house up to 40 people. At the time of the incident, as we saw, they weren’t fully occupied.

The soldiers involved are primarily from the 228th Combat Support Hospital based out of San Antonio, Texas.

“Many of the participating Reserve Soldiers involved in the incident are medical professionals in both their Army and civilian careers, and therefore were able to render aid immediately following the incident while awaiting emergency responders,” Heflin said. “In addition, all Soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserve are trained in basic first aid and were able to assist as well.”

Help came from all over South Monterey County, including Lockwood, Cal Fire and County Ambulance Services.

The injured soldiers have since returned to the garrison and are in the process of calling their loved ones to let them know they are ok.

As for the crew on the Black Hawk, they weren’t injured, but army officials want to know what happened.

“When these things happen they stayed on site, provided information, helped them render care and then they were taken to begin their process after-action review of this incident and that continues,” Heflin said.

Fort Hunter Liggett is the largest Army Reserve installation, the eighth largest in the army with more than 165,000 acres that can support a wide variety of training scenarios.

UPDATE 7/19/2018 12:20 p.m.: Fort Hunter Liggett officials say all soldiers involved in the training incident have been released to their units.

The soldiers are from the 228th Combat Support Hospital based out of San Antonio, Texas. They were injured when the two tents they were in collapsed because of rotor wash from a helicopter.

Many were able to get medical attention right away.

“Many of the participating reserve soldiers involved in the incident are medical professionals in both their army and civilian careers and therefore are able to render aid immediately following the incident, while awaiting emergency responders,” said Colonel David Heflin, 91st Training Division Operations Office. “Additionally all soldiers in the U.S. Army Reserve are trained in basic first aid and were able to assist as well. First responders, led by Fort Hunter Liggett Emergency Services arrived onsite and continued the triage process and identified soldiers needing further medical treatment.”

The injuries ranged from sore shoulders to a head injury, which was originally was believed to be serious, but turned out not to be.

ORIGINAL POST: Nearly two dozen people were injured when a military exercise at Fort Hunter Liggett went wrong Wednesday night.

Officials say the 22 people who were injured suffered mostly non-life threatening injuries. Four were transported to hospitals for treatment. Two were transported by air to a hospital in Fresno, while two others were taken to a hospital in Templeton.

It was not immediately cleared if any civilians were among the injured.

A spokesperson told KION that their first priority is to contact family members with information on the condition and location of those who were injured.

“We are just trying to gather all the information, making sure the soldiers are taken care of and contacting family members as soon as we can. That’s our priority now is making sure they get all the treatment and that they’re cared for,” said Amy Phillips, Ft. Hunter Liggett public affairs officer.

Officials stress there were no fatalities, and as of 1:00 a.m. Thursday, they knew of 22 who were injured.

Officials will provide an update after 8:00 Thursday morning.