Deaths On Brecon Beacons

[LoftyLottie]

This has really upset and worried me. I know they have to face terrible conditions in Afghanistan, etc., but surely there should have been more supervision and observation on a training exercise.

What do other ABers think

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/two-military-personnel-die-welsh-exercise-140343537.html#Feore4n

[Just-Jude]

Time the HSE was brought in, too many army dimwits who don't know what they're doing.

A risk assessment would have prevented this!

[LoftyLottie]

I agree and I think some heads should roll!

[pixie373]

That is awful!

[Sharingan]

Only real idiots would think it's a good idea to have manouvres on the Beacons on the hottest day of the year and two people have died as a result. It's craazy hot around here today, totally avoidable.

[Zacs-Master]

So how do they train for tropical and desert warfare?

[sherrardk]

It is sad and was probably preventable. I think it depends on what regiment they were from as to whether or not they should have been training in such conditions.

[Sqad]

You can't train for war and fight wars in equatable climates.

29.6deg C is not that hot.

I think that we should wait for the results if an investigation before we "hang" anybody.

[Zacs-Master]

Yes. There could be other factors.

[pixie373]

One dying could well be for different reasons, but two? And one in hospital. It does suggest they've not been acclimatised properly, allowed to dehydrate or similar

[vakayu]

While I totally condone what has happened I agree that 29degrees is not as hot as they would have to endure in some parts of the world.

[jackthehat]

Some of the exercises for the more 'sneaky-peaky' regiments *have* to be exacting. The participants are given a task and a time and have to complete it without supervision; or at least there are large portions of time where supervision is not possible.

It is a tragedy that these deaths occurred and the wisdom of letting this sort of exercise [as there are few details it isn't possible to comment further] take place in the sort of weather we are presently experiencing, ought to be questioned.

[douglas9401]

Condemn?

[LoftyLottie]

I agree Pixie. If it were just one then other factors could well be involved. But it was two deaths and one other in a serious condition. Deaths that could have been avoided.

I agree training should be hard and equip people for warfare, but there are limits.

[Sqad]

\\\\\I agree training should be hard and equip people for warfare, but there are limits.\\\\

Not in the S.A.S there arn't.

[Sharingan]

Not much point killing our army off ourselves before the enemy ever get a look at them though, that's a bit counter-productive by anyone's standards.

[Sqad]

Shari....a think that after 3 deaths, we still have plenty left......

[LoftyLottie]

Their families must be devastated. Dying in warfare is a risk you accept, but two dying on a training exercise is terrible.

[LoftyLottie]

Sqad that is an absolutely heartless horrible statement and irrelevant to what Shari meant.

[Sharingan]

I think cannon fodder was the word you were after Sqad. I appreciate that people need to be trained under arduous conditions but dying during an excercise cats doubt on the wisdom of whoever planned that exercise which in turn casts doubt on what exactly is necessary. It's one thing to die because you've been shot by the enemy it's another to die because some colonel in an aircinditioned office has no common sense.

[Zacs-Master]

Shari, there is no suggestion these were cadets of any type. For all we know they could have done several tours.