Fort Bragg soldier in critical condition, 12 others in hospital after march

1 soldier remains critical, 12 others still hospitalized after grueling Fort Bragg march
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: September 24, 2011

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — One Fort Bragg soldier is fighting for his life and a dozen others are hospitalized a day after succumbing to the heat and humidity during a grueling march.

Womack Army Medical Center spokeswoman Shannon Lynch said Saturday one soldier remains in the hospital's intensive care unit. Twelve others receiving treatment are expected to be discharged Sunday.

More than three dozen soldiers at the North Carolina Army base suffered heat-related problems Friday after participating in the early morning march they needed to complete for their expert field medical badge.
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CNN had this

43 Fort Bragg soldiers suffer heat illness in 12-mile road march
By Jennifer Rizzo and Michael Martinez
updated 1:50 PM EST, Fri September 23, 2011
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
A total of 60 soldiers were being tested for their expert field medical badge
43 of them suffer heat-related illnesses
One is in intensive care
The difficult-to-obtain badge is considered the "portrait of excellence" in the Army

(CNN) -- Forty-three soldiers suffered heat-related illnesses Friday during a 12-mile road march at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, an Army spokesman said.

The march was the culmination of a week of "expert field medical badge training," during which soldiers are tested on their medic and general soldier skills in order to receive an "expert" badge, Fort Bragg spokesman Benjamin Abel said.

Sixty soldiers were on the march, which started at 6 a.m., and they were carrying backpacks, helmets, weapons and other combat gear, Abel said.

About an hour and a half into the march, the people running the event noticed some personnel "were having difficulties," and medical transports were begun, he said.

Eighteen of the soldiers were transported to Womack Army Medical Center, and one was admitted to the intensive care unit, he said.

Humidity levels Friday morning were higher than expected, but "this is odd, out of the norm, to have this many people treated," Abel added.
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