Another Training Fatality
David sends us the sad news of the loss of Spc. James Requenez, who lost his life during the swamp phase of Ranger training at Eglin AFB. Details are few as the Army conducts its investigation.
Army investigating death of soldier during ‘swamp phase’ of Ranger School
By Morgan Winsor
The U.S. Army is investigating the death of a 28-year-old soldier during training in Florida last week, officials said.
Spc. James Requenez, of San Antonio, Texas, was a student in the third and final phase of the U.S. Army Ranger School. He died last Thursday during training at Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base, where the so-called swamp phase of the arduous 62-day course takes place at Camp Rudder.
The soldier was transported to an on-site hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, which said the incident remains under investigation. Further details were not immediately available.
Requenez enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 2018. After initial training, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Georgia’s Fort Benning, where he served as an assistant machine gunner for A Company.
Been said before- training can be just as deadly as conflict. Deepest condolences to the family and friends- the entire article may be viewed here.
Thanks, David. Fair winds and following seas.
Category: Army, Guest Link, Training Incidents
Rest In Peace, SPC James Requenez.
Condolences to his family.
AW1Ed is ABSOLUTELY 120% correct on this comment:
“…training can be just as deadly as conflict.”
At times, training at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California was NOT pretty…
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY
There were four deaths in several classes before mine. One man died of heat exhaustion during a road march at Benning. Two were killed by lightning in Florida and one drowned, in Florida I think. Fortunately no one died in my class, but there were several serious injuries. One 2LT infantry officer fell and severely broke his hip at night climbing Licklog Mountain during the Mountain Phase. Over fifteen months later, I saw him at my Inf. Officer Vietnam Orientation course; he was still walking with a cane after multiple surgeries. Based upon some of the training, I am still amazed there weren’t more injuries.
RIP Specialist Requenez. And as one of the first OCs at the NTC you are correct about the training ninja.
Thank You for sharing with us, Zulu02, about you being one of the first Observer Controllers (OC) at NTC.
We salute you on what you did at Irwin. What a challenge.
For those who have trained at NTC, there were training accidents there that never made the news media.
Those accidents were not pretty…always sadness for the Soldier’s family.
Zulu …
I was a Green Team OC from 1982~85. Col. William Shackleford was the Chief of Operations Group then. Did our paths cross?
—-
Sad about SPC Requenez. I’m betting he succumbed to hypothermia. That happened to two Ranger students in 1977; in 1980 we were still hearing that lesson.
Found this:
As a footnote, the army is now screening for sickle-cell.
Many commanders probably aren’t even aware of this. I only learned of it a few weeks ago when I showed up for some unrelated labs and Nurse Ratchet transformed into Vampirella and demanded more blood.
Hardly the worst transformation, visually.
_________
Regardless, to SPC Requenez and all others who gave all for the greatest of reasons – I hope I get to meet you in Valhalla, someday.
RGR1480
I was Charlie13 on the Blue Team 82 to mid 83 and then went to be Live Fire Plans Team Chief. I wrote the exception to policy to allow the A19s to strafe over the heads of troops.
Zulu02,
Do you recall the OPFOR full-colonel who died when his jeep rolled over one night? (He was beloved by all.) We had been asking for roll bars and no one heard us … until that fateful accident.
One of our OCs, a major, was killed during live fire — he took cal. 50 to the neck. I got fired up also during a night live fire — thank God I was in a Sheridan then! Still, tracers coming at you and going overhead was quite an experience — I launched a red flare, then was calling for cease-fire from the floor of the turret. (^__^)
I spent 13 cycles on Green Team then the remainder of my time in the TAF building monitoring the movements and writing after action reports. That air conditioning sure felt good.
Do you recall Nurse Nancy?????
Scorpion 12C
OUT
Remember both incidents. I was running the live fire when Dragon 6 got hit. We had a medevac on the range and diverted it. Got him to the hospital alive, but the shock killed him. Had 155 and 81mm land close to my 113 several times. And I remember when the OPFOR O6 rolled his jeep. I was on business in LA a few years ago and had an afternoon free so I went up. Irwin looked like the suburbs. OPS GP was still in the same buildings and trailers but the rest of the post was pretty nice.
Oh MANNNN! You were running that LF exercise? Holy Cow. That’s right, it was Dragon 6 on the Armor team. He was a real nice guy and great officer. I wasn’t aware he was still alive; we all thought he was KIA right there. Geeeshhhh.
Happy Days at the NTC, indeed! Most of the time. We were there when it was the “Last Army Outpost in the Wild West.”
My jeep blew up because my pyro box got too hot and started a chain reaction. A veritable Fourth-of-July-Spectacle … right under the nose a regimental AAR that was going on on the hill above me (near Chinaman’s Hat, vic Dolly Parton). Col Shackleford swore that I had the rings pulled from my CS and smoke, but I didn’t. [He was a soldier’s soldier — God bless that man!] I guess the heat from the smoke set off the CS and artillery simulators.
https://ibb.co/RCSsZ0x
LTC Word merely said, “Get it towed back and get another.” No report of survey or anything.
My nickname thereafter was “LT Pyro.”
I loved the NTC!
Closest I ever got was reading a book, “Dragons at War: Land Battle in the Desert”. Seems like all the fun stuff was after my time.
Was the book interesting? Would a former OC find it enteratining, or is it a long AAR?
I found it interesting and educational. It was all new to me.
.” Bolger [author] was a company commander in the 2-34th during its two-weeks’ training at NTC. He tells what happened, both good and bad. Bolger writes well, and the reader gets the feel of the problems and strains of actual combat, especially in regard to how the reality of war can destroy good planning. ”
Published in 1986.
Been awhile since I read it (20+ yrs) but I think it was more than an AARP (which I am not familiar with).
Rolling Jeeps was a constant bogeyman when I was in Germany. Particularly the 106 mm. jeeps in the AT section. Without the weight of that big gun those Jeeps looked bow-legged with the rear wheels tilted outward (inward?). Whatever; the tops of the wheels pointed outward and the bottoms of the wheels were tucked under.
We raise a glass to this departed Warrior, SPC James Requenez. May God’s Comfort bring His Peace to the Family.
Rest Easy Good Sir, we’ll see you on the Other Side.
From the information provided, SPC James Requenez , was a true Ranger. He enlisted in 2018 and likely went straight to the Ranger Regiment (3rd BN, 75th RGR RGT at Fort Benning, GA). He was therefore very familiar with what the requirements of the school were, having lived the life for two years already.
There are many things that can get you in the swamps of Florida, snakes (lots of moccasins), ants (I seem to recall laying in an ant bed or two…if he was allergic it could be fatal), hypothermia (cold weather moving through water drains the heat even quicker), drowning (as mentioned the water is cold…I remember a fellow student walking through the swamps in front of me and stepping in to a hole that he went in below his neck before we grabbed him and pulled him out), lightning, just to name a few. All of these reasons are why the instructors are trained to look for and prevent these things from happening. The students due to stress conditions (food and sleep deprivation, as well as exercise, and test conditions) can not be expected to spot them as quickly. They also have medical services on immediate standby. From the article he was pronounced dead on arrival back at Camp Rudder, so it was either so quick he was deemed past help from a helicopter extraction (which was used extensively during the 1995 incident) or is injuries were minor but became acute when they got him to the aide station.
The investigation will be of interest.
RIP SPC James Requenez, R.L.T.W! We will see you on the high ground.
Name edited to protect PII.
AW1
Parachute malfunction? Hard PLF? I remember the DZ at Eglin in 1978 was scrub oak and brush filled guarantying a hard PLF.
Rest in Peace Ranger Requenez.
RIP to a Ranger, the lights of Valhalla shine to greet you.
You have earned your seat at the table of freedom. Thank you for your service and God Bless you and all of yours…
Rest in peace and God be with your family now.
This is why I hate Ranger School posers with a passion. Wanting all glory, zero risk.
Do Ranger Bat uses AGs (assistance gunners) as gun team leaders?
In the line infantry we certainly do, though some units I have been in, use the gunner as the gun team leader, which is the wrong way to do business in my opinion, since as AG the team leader is in a better position to observe targets and direct fires than when he is directly behind the gun.