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JBLM soldier brings training exercise to a halt when he fires live rounds into helicopter

Published  May 17, 2016 5:23pm PDT
Associated Press

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say a soldier from Joint Base Lewis-McChord who was participating in a large training exercise in California shot an Army Apache helicopter with live rounds.


The News Tribune reports (http://goo.gl/ZcIIuI ) the infantryman's bullets punctured the JBLM-based helicopter four times Saturday, prompting the exercise at the National Training Center to be halted.

Training center spokesman Ken Drylie says no one was injured and it's unclear why the soldier had live rounds in his rifle. Soldiers are given blanks to use in mock battles when they arrive at the center.

Drylie says the Army conducted a preliminary investigation and determined the shooting was an accident.

The force at the training center is JBLM's 1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. It's a Stryker brigade being tested to see whether it's ready for deployments.