By David Lohr
(Continued)
Michael may be right in saying it is easier to write off a human being. Last night, I spent an hour thumbing through an Army regulations handbook. I easily found the section on lost weapons (Sensitive Items); however, I was unable to find a section devoted to a lost soilder. Interesting how much value is placed on a weapon as opposed to a human being. The "Sensitive Item" regulations read as follows:
"Sensitive items include: weapons, NVDs (night vision devices), military radios, classified SOIs (Signal Operation Instructions), and COMSEC (Communications Security) equipment. If your unit loses, or you suspect you have lost, a weapon or sensitive item: Notify your chain of command and the PMO (Project Management Office), immediately upon discovering a loss.
"Notify adjacent units regarding the incident. Isolate and control access to area(s) where the item(s) may have been lost. Initiate a detailed search, to include a complete inventory of weapons and sensitive items. The unit will remain in the field or in the unit area until the weapon or sensitive item is found. . . . All units involved will immediately assume an operational posture, and using all personnel, conduct a search for the missing item(s). For more information, see AR 190-11."
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Sgt. Lawrence Sprader |
Michael said he could not confirm or deny whether Lawrence took precautions that could have prevented his death; however, he did say the Army could have taken better precautions.
"I can say with a high degree of certainty that the unit did not make an appropriate risk assessment, nor did they employ the appropriate measures in order to minimize the risks that were taken on that day. The fact remains that out of a company of roughly 160 soldiers, about 30 to 40 of them had to be treated for heat injuries."
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