Army truck rollover sends soldiers to hospital

Fort Bragg, N.C. — An Army truck carrying 13 Special Operations soldiers overturned near the Fort Bragg firing range in Hoke County on Tuesday morning, sending all 13 to Womack Army Medical Center, Army officials said.

The Light Medium Tactical Vehicle rolled over at about 9 a.m. on Plank Road near Mott Lake, emergency personnel said. The soldiers were students at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg and were training with 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, officials said.

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Soldier-students injured in Bragg wreck

Officials haven't provided details about what caused the wreck.

The soldiers used their training to pull themselves out of the overturned truck, and some began administering emergency medical aid to others before emergency personnel arrived, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Csrnko, commander of the Kennedy Special Warfare Center.

Two medical helicopters from UNC Hospitals flew to the scene to transport two patients, and ambulances took the others who were injured. Eleven soldiers were treated at Womack and released, and two were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The names of the soldiers involved in the wreck weren't released.

“We would like to thank all of the emergency responders for their assistance in providing emergency medical care to our soldiers,” Csrnko said in a statement. “Our immediate task is to ensure our men and their families receive all of the support that they require.”

The Army closed Plank Road while authorities investigated the incident.. They reopened the road – it's a public road across the post that serves as a short-cut between Fayetteville and Southern Pines – shortly before noon.

In August 2004, one paratrooper was killed and 25 others were hurt when their Light Medium Tactical Vehicle crashed at Fort Bragg after a day of training.

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