Politics & Government
Bradenton soldier died in military training accident. Buchanan demands reforms
The death of U.S. Army SPC Nicholas Panipinto this past November was a tragedy that could have been prevented, according to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key.
Panipinto, of Bradenton, died during a training accident when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle overturned at Camp Humphrey, in South Korea.
Since his death, there have been disturbing revelations about the accident that led Buchanan to call for military training reform.
Buchanan said there were “numerous safety and training failures,” that contributed to Panipinto’s death.
“The heartbreaking and very preventable death of (Panipinto) clearly shows that changes in training and safety procedures need to be made,” Buchanan said. “The serious deficiencies and failures identified in the report on SPC Panipinto’s death call for immediate reforms within the Department of Defense. I want to make sure that no family has to go through the pain and suffering that SPC Panipinto’s family has faced.”
According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, between 2006 and 2018, 32 percent of active-duty military deaths were related to training accidents, twice as many that were in combat.
Military training is often dangerous but in Panipinto’s case, he was test driving a vehicle that had known malfunctions in its communications system and other defective equipment. A lack of medical services on base and “significant delays in medical response to the scene of the accident,” are all preventable factors, Buchanan said.
Panipinto’s mother, Kimberly Weaver, said her son did not have a military driver’s license nor did he have the required training and should not have been driving the vehicle the day he died.
According to sworn testimony by an unidentified whistleblower, Panipinto’s unit lacked a driver training program, and that the prior master driver issued licenses without training.
“This is an unbearable pain and what makes it even more painful, is that it was entirely preventable,” Weaver said in a prepared statement. “Nothing is going to change the outcome for us now, but we can and should take action to prevent it from happening to other families in the future. We look forward to working with Congressman Buchanan to address this issue and help save lives.”
Weaver did not immediately return a call for comment on Tuesday.
Buchanan has since sent a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper asking for reforms.
“The highest tribute that can be paid to the life of SPC Panipinto is that the Defense Department will make sure that future military personnel who are injured during training exercises can quickly receive high-quality medical treatment that might help save their lives.”
As the Defense Department works on the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Buchanan is urging Esper to implement reforms that will save lives of service members into the future.
Buchanan is calling for the Defense Department to take the following steps:
- Ensure compliance and strengthen current requirements for training and licensing military drivers.
- Add simulated training requirements to existing protocols to ensure military drivers are properly training and prepared for their assignments.
- Strengthen existing regulations to ensure there is a hospital or emergency medical facility at all U.S. military bases on foreign soil.
- Ensure military bases have properly functioning MedEvac helicopters and ambulances with appropriate medical supplies.
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