Buchanan continues efforts to reform U.S. military training protocols

Key congressional leaders recently expressed strong support for a proposal offered by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) to reform military training procedures following the death of one of his constituents stationed abroad. 

U.S. Army Specialist (SPC) Nicholas Panipinto of Bradenton, Fla., died in November 2019 during a training accident at Camp Humphreys in South Korea when the fighting vehicle he was driving overturned during a road test. Numerous safety and training failures contributed to SPC Panipinto’s death, including a lack of medical services on base and delays in medical response to the scene of the accident.

Deaths during military training exercises have risen dramatically in recent years, according to the congressman’s office, which said that in 2017, nearly four times as many service members died in training accidents than were killed in action.

“No family deserves to face the pain and suffering that Nick’s family has faced,” Rep. Buchanan said. “The highest tribute that can be paid to the life of SPC Panipinto is for the Defense Department to make sure that future military personnel injured during training exercises can quickly receive high-quality medical treatment.”

Rep. Buchanan recently met with U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and U.S. House Armed Services Committee ranking member U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), who his office reported were both “extremely receptive” to Buchanan’s suggested reforms aimed at preventing accidental deaths.

For instance, Sen. Inhofe agreed that military training must be reformed across all branches of the U.S. military in order to prevent unnecessary and tragic deaths like SPC Panipinto’s, while Rep. Thornberry said he supported Buchanan’s call for a congressional hearing on ways to prevent such training accidents.

Additionally, Rep. Thornberry said he supported a Buchanan amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requiring the Pentagon to examine emergency medical response services and capabilities at U.S. military bases around the world, saying it could have a significant impact in preventing another accident like SPC Panipinto’s.

Rep. Thornberry added that it was “very likely” that Rep. Buchanan’s amendment would be included in the final NDAA conference report. Each chamber of Congress has passed competing versions of the annual defense policy bill and the two must be reconciled in conference committee, then passed by Congress and signed into law by the president. 

“I’m thankful to Chairman Inhofe and Ranking Member Thornberry for their support for our service members and for their commitment to seeing this issue addressed,” Rep. Buchanan said.