Death prompts Army to change training at Bragg

Pfc. Norman Murburg, 20, went into the Hoffman Training Area on post on June 9, 2008, on a 10-hour Special Forces training mission. Fellow soldiers found his body the next day.

The Army initially said Murburg died after being bitten by a venomous snake, and officials ruled the death accidental. A report noted discoloration on Murburg's left hand and said soldiers killed a water moccasin near the spot where he was found.

Mike Murburg challenged the Army's theory about his son's death, and medical experts in his home state of Florida also expressed skepticism about the snake-bite story.

The Army recently changed Norman Murburg's cause of the death to undetermined.

Mike Murburg said he is convinced that his son likely became disoriented and died of dehydration or heat exhaustion during the training exercise.

In addition to limiting training on hot days, the Army plans to keep closer tabs on soldiers when they go down during training, officials said.

Murburg's father will get a full report, once the investigation into his son's death and policy changes are put in place.

The military medical examiner who blamed the death on a snake is resigning, officials said.