A soldier died while on a training exercise

[Jazzy]

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Corporal Josh Hoole, 26, died while taking part in a promotion course to become a plattoon sergeant.

His grandfather John Craig, 79, said: ‘The family are absolutely shattered by this. Josh was the greatest grandson you could ask for.

‘He was the perfect grandson he was a dedicated soldier and so fit he was an infantry instructor at Catterick and just loved the army,

‘The MOD have been keeping their cards close to their chest but we thing its dehydration or something that has caused this.’

An Army spokeswoman said: ‘We can confirm that a soldier from ITC Catterick died on 19 July while conducting pre-course training for the Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course in Brecon.’

Temperatures on the mountain range were the same yesterday as on the day Lance Corporal Edward Maher, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and Corporal James Dunsby lost their lives in 2013.

The Platoon Sergeants’ Battle Course is taken by infantry soldiers who want to progress to the rank of sergeant.

The course is run three times a year, with the next one set to take place in August. It is described on the Army website as ‘both mentally and physically demanding’.

Most soldiers take part in organised, and sometimes independent, pre-course training which can involve marching long distances carrying weight, and digging trenches.

Captain Doug Beattie, who has taken the course and run pre-courses, said it is a tough course, and needs to be so.

He said: ‘It needs to be demanding and I don’t think there should be any call that it shouldn’t be demanding, I don’t think anybody would want that.

Do you think they should have stopped the course due to the heat? (Why/Why Not)

 

[Justbec]

No I don't think it should have been stopped. My brother has taken that course and many more harder. He also spent a lot of time in Iraq and Afghanistan. The training he had here at home helped keep him alive over there. I am very saddened by this soldiers death and my condolences go out to his family.

 

[Jazzy]

This is not army training it's special forces training designed so that the best soldiers possible get through that have the highest chance of surviving a real mission. It's a tragedy because all he had to do was admit he was at his limit.

 

[Justbec]

Exactly, my brother was a Green Beret and the training is intense. It's not for everyone and there is no shame in stopping. I just wish this poor guy realized that.

 

[Bluezone777]

I'd think the only reason you would refuse to admit you were at your limit and your limit wasn't enough is pride or simply didn't see his need for it and didn't call for it until it was too late for him to do so due to being unable to call for it. Of course was he able to call for help while on training as I would hope they would provide a way to communicate distress if there was a problem and he needed to call it quits in the case of needing medical attention? Perhaps they should be supervised while training so if the trainee becomes incapacitated or otherwise needs medical attention then he can get help asap instead of hoping the soldier can and will call for it.

I get that such training is going to be tough and harsh as it is not standard issue training for any soldier but specialized ones choosing to go into advanced militarily training. I just hope that their investigation can find out what happened and that a plan comes out that can ensure that everything is done that can be done to prevent future occurrences along the lines seen here.