Watchdog finds flaws in military training. Buchanan urges Pentagon to enact reform
After a military watchdog’s investigation found evidence of inadequate training, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is renewing his calls for policy updates that address soldier safety.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office on Wednesday published a 103-page report highlighting systemic issues that led to an average of 34 training deaths per year between 2010 and 2019. Investigators said driver error, lapses in supervision and a lack of training were all common causes of those accidents.
The report comes after Buchanan’s previous demands for reform following the 2019 death of Spc. Nicholas Panipinto, a 20-year-old Bradenton resident who was fatally injured during a training accident in South Korea. The GAO recommended a handful of actions that military leaders can take to make training safer.
“The heartbreaking death of my constituent, Nicholas Panipinto, was 100 percent preventable. As evidenced by this shocking new report, there are glaring and widespread deficiencies in current military training and safety procedures,” said Buchanan, R-Longboat Key. “We must take swift action to improve our military training capabilities and, more importantly, save lives. No family deserves to face the pain and suffering that Nick’s family has faced.”
According to the GAO report, a number of issues plagued the training routines for the Army and the Marine Corps. The watchdog report said the military had trouble tracking a driver’s progress and skills under different conditions. The investigation also found that there were problems planning for emergency accidents and vehicle commanders did not have clearly defined roles.
In a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Buchanan urged the Pentagon to move quickly and adopt the GAO’s safety recommendations.
“We must take swift action to improve our military training capabilities, and more importantly, save lives,” Buchanan wrote. “It is difficult to imagine in 2021 that our nation’s armed forces are unable to provide the necessary training for our active-duty men and women to keep them safe during training exercises, let alone on the battlefield.”
Buchanan’s call for action found support from Panipinto’s mother, Kimberly Weaver. Weaver has worked alongside Buchanan in recent years, advocating for reform that could prevent other military parents from losing their children.
“The devastating loss of Nicholas was compounded by the fact that it was totally preventable,” Weaver said in a statement provided by Buchanan’s office. “We are forever grateful to Congressman Buchanan for continuing to push for necessary military training reforms to protect service members and prevent another tragic loss.”
While Department of Defense officials have reviewed the report and are working toward enacting the recommendations, Buchanan says he’s working on legislation “to ensure no more lives are needlessly lost.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
