A reminder that training kills, too
Adirondack Patriot sends us some links that remind me that military training is just as deadly as combat sometimes. The story is about Petty Officer 3rd Class Shaun Lin, 23 who fell from a ladder during training and died on the James River last week
Adirondack patriot said he died while practicing “hook and climb” procedures when he lost his footing and fell into the screws of the cutter that he was attempting to board using a caving ladder. The “hook and climb” is demonstrated at about :28 in this video;
After boot camp in 2007, Lin was sent to Coast Guard Station Boston as a Fireman. In 2009 he was transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Maui serving in the North Arabian Gulf before arriving to Maritime Safety and Security Team New York.
About his job, a new one in the Coast Guard;
Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST’s) were created under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. They are part of the enhanced security strategy for ports and waterways following 9/11. These teams undergo specialized training to conduct advanced interdiction, high risk boardings. This includes vertical insertion (fast-roping from a helicopter) and the stealthier hook-and-climb boarding.
Team members typically wear about 60lbs of gear, including a tactical vest, body armor, kevlar helmet, ammunition, weapons, and a PECCE vest that is manually inflatable. (A vest that is automatically inflatable upon exposure to water is not practicable under the conditions these teams operate in. The Navy SEALS use a similar vest.) MSST members receive training for unexpected immersion, which includes inflation of the PECCE and dumping of gear. An uninjured team member should be able to stay afloat for several minutes even with his gear on.
I probably lost more friends in training than in real world operations, which is why training must be realistic to be effective. Our sympathies go out to ME3 Lin’s family and our heartfelt thanks for their sacrifice.
You puddle jumpers take care out there.
Category: Military issues
My prayers to the Lin family.
You certainly aren’t kidding about the dangers of training. The only friends I ever lost died during training, I still get the willies thinking about a tank overturning in a creek….
I’ve heard the same thing about training deaths vs. combat deaths.. you just never hear about the training deaths. He fell into the screws??? OMG. How HORRIBLE.
Saw a 113 sink during Vehicle Swim Training- basically turning one into a boat,took 1 guy with it,saw a 106 Mortar track fry because the crew got lazy and dumped the excess cheese-charges right outside the back end,caught fire-2 lost. In Hohenfels a 60 Gunner put a SABOT round through the Tank ahead of him at railhead. The Military is a very dangerous job,especially in Combat Arms. All kinds of things that go Boom or Bang and are highly flammable. Not to mention weather conditions,operator mistakes,and sometimes just plain stupidity.
Yep. Same in my experiences. The Navy Times “SEa Service Obituaries” used to list 30+ names every frikkin’ week in the 70’s and early 80’s. Flight ops were always dangerous to all hands. In Wing-5, up in Brunswick, Maine, we lost 4 P-3’s with all hands in about a 3-year period. Those losses included two of my best friends.
My condolences to PO-3 Lin’s family and his MSST team mates as well.
We lost a M-60 gunner on night training maneuvers for our REACT Team. The Jeep gun truck he was riding flipped over on top of him while the driver was making a 5 MPH turn.
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