gillie suit fire costs soldiers their lives.

222shooter

222shooter

New member
I just recieved an e-mail from my brother-in-law who is in the Army. Two soldiers died when their gillie suits caught fire. Here is the note he sent:

Smoking cost two snipers their life.

On 6 April 2005 two soldiers were fatality injured when their Ghillie suits caught fire while performing sniper duty. The soldiers were manning a sniper position in an observation tower, one soldier attempted to light a cigarette when his Ghillie suit ignited. His buddy's suit also ignited when he attempted to extinguish the first soldier's suit. These soldiers were unable to extinguish the fire and sustained fatal burn injuries. An initial investigation revealed the Ghillie suits were locally purchased and were not treated with flame retardant. Units should ensure that all soldiers are briefed on this tragedy and the hazards associated with smoking while wearing a Ghillie suit. Burn Test's were performed on similar Ghillie suits; one without flame retardant (approximately 10 seconds burn time) and one with flame retardant (appx. 15 seconds burn time). Both soldiers were briefed not to smoke while performing their duties but one choose not to follow those instructions which cost both their lives. MNC-I Safety Office will publish a Red Hash Safety Message once the investigation is completed, request widest dissemination on this incident.
 
The same thing happened one county over from me two years ago. Guy made his own suit and it also caught on fire from trying to light a cig.
A good friend of mine is sniping in army right now. Hope he is ok, didnt say where it happened?
They have enough to worry about. They should have top notch equipment provided for them.
That way they dont have to buy equipment from the enemy...
 
When I made my Ghillie suit in 1979 (Quantico, Va--Marine Corps Scout/Sniper Instructor Course), we were cautioned that the burlap was easy to ignite and the glue used to anchor the burlap strips to the clothing certainly was flamable, too. Given that information, most of the people in my class treated their gear with flame retardant chemicals (and water-proofing chemicals--Ghillie suits get very heavy when wet).

Maybe the word never got out to those two Army troops. Too bad. I hope the safety report is widely read; it is dangerous enough doing sniper duty without worrying about catching fire (they should not be smoking while on sniper duty, anyway).
 
Smoking kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. Same story, with more bizarre circumstances. Even took an innocent down with him, just like the thousands of non-smokers who die each year from lung cancer from their spouses, friends, and customers (especially waitresses). This story is no different except it was the second hand flame in this instance, unbelievebly tragic.
 
I'll have to be careful when I'm smokin in my ghillie suit. Just a thought but I would think that a Sniper would'nt do such a foolish thing as reveal his position by trying to light a cig. I don't even do that and my life isn't on the line.

t/c223encore.
 
I would like to know why....

a sniper was wearing a ghillie suit in an Observation TOWER???

a sniper was wearing a locally purchased ghillie suit???

a sniper was lighting a cigerette while manning a sniper position???

I just have to wonder if this if for real. If it is, we are in for one long long road in Iraq if our forces aren't any smarter than this....and I know they are....so...I think someone is pulling someones burlap here.

I could be wrong, just ask my wife....but I think not in this case. Just my opinion.

Al
 
Count me in on "pessimistic"!

Smoking while on sniper duty .......... ?

Smoking would be advertising ones position. Makes no sense.

Three 44s
 
Which is why you do not smoke on Sniper Duty. If the cig doesn't give your position away, the resulting fire is sure too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing. I can be a little skeptical about some things. This is one of them. Our military deserves the best of the best equipment and if they are not getting it, then somebody needs to be "horsewhipped". Or worse.
 
If you ever smoked (I once did, 23 years back) you'll more readily accept the idiocy of a ghillie suit fire...as in, sure it's gonna kill me, but just now I'm dying for a cigarette.

Hugh "Mac" MacCauley was a friend of mine who passed away a couple of years back. Mac was also Marine who survived the seige at Chosin Reservoir in the Korean Conflict. (if you don't know what that was, pause now and go look it up). He told the story of how his best friend was trying to get a match to stay lit in a breeze at 40 below to light a cig in a foxhole--Mac, right next to him in the foxhole, kept telling his buddy what an idiot he was for lighting matches at night, etc, you're gonna get us killed by a sniper. So Mac's best friend finally gets his cigarette lit. Sure enough an instant later said buddy got his head blown off, brains and gore everywhere.

While I don't smoke anymore, ghillie suits just wouldn't cut it for predator hunting where I go anyhow. Way too many things to snag it on while trying to get to the stand, far too hot for wearing about 9 months out of the year, not to mention heavy. (And did anyone say "tick magnet" yet?)

LionHo
 
I'm struggling to get a grip on that story too , but it also puts a clear reminder in the back of my head when I break mine out this fall ....so I guess a thank you is in order .....
soooooooooooooo

Thanks
 
Now hear This!!! This story is for real!! I am a safety NCO in my unit (as an additional duty), and I can tell you that this story is for real. I get to see alot of the army accident messages after they are released for view after the investigations. Also keep in mind, when someone says that something is "Locally Purchased" it doesn't always mean that they bought it locally. Alot of times, a "locally Purchased" item is bought online, I have alot of friends (who are soldiers) that buy their stuff from places like: US CAVALRY STORE, CABELAS, BASS PRO, BRIGADE QUARTERMASTES, etc. I can't answer for the smoking in a tower or for smoking while wearing highly flammable materials. However, I can say that there are always two sides to a story. This is a tragedy.
 
Here is the actual message that came out on the Army safety website:pRELIMINARY LOSS REPORT 0548

GHILLIE SUIT FIRE CLAIMS 2 SOLDIERS’ LIVES -- ACCIDENT

Two 11th ACR Soldiers died as a result of a Ghillie suit fire on 7 Apr 05 at 2322 local in Iraq. Both Soldiers (20/19 year-old SPC/PFC) were performing guard duty in a tower when their suits caught fire. The source of the fire is officially unknown but cigarette smoking is suspect. The Soldiers were taken to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and later died. The accident is currently under investigation.

Including this accident, there were 19 Class A-C Army Fire accidents from the start of FY04 to 7 April 2005, resulting in 3 Soldier deaths.

Don’t let this happen in your formation. Consider these actions to prevent similar fire accidents:
 Do not smoke or use an open flame near a Ghillie Suit. The suit replicates dried twigs and straw which may ignite.
 Properly store and wash Ghillie suits in order to maintain their FIAME RESISTANCE. They are not flame proof.
 Know how to assist a person on fire - - “Stop, Drop and Roll” to put out the fire.

I hope this will be last of these type of accidents.
 
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