Soldier dies from bear attack during Army training in Alaska

[Fred Gunner]

STARS AND STRIPES • May 11, 2022

A U.S. soldier was killed Tuesday in a bear attack while training in Anchorage, Alaska, local Army officials said.

Officials at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson said the soldier was part of a small team training in the vicinity of the Anchorage Regional Landfill, the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday.

The soldier’s name was withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The 673rd Security Forces Squadron initially responded to the attack, and Alaska Wildlife Troopers have launched a search for the bear within the training area, local media reported. The area is closed to the public.

The type of bear involved in the attack was not identified, but brown and black bears are native to the area.

 

[Fred Gunner]

Putin warned us this was coming...

 

[Rubberhead]

@Fred Gunner

1st post - fine,
2nd post - too soon...

 

[Denvir Tire]

I agree

 

[C.W. Richter]

No (.429+ cal.) sidearm while adjacent to a landfill where hunting is prohibited in AK?? Bears are nearly everywhere there. Or, did the puny .22 fmj provide little assistance in the killing dep't.?

 

[yhc]

Putin warned us this was coming...

Poor taste Fred.

RIP Soldier.

 

[CAustin]

Sad to hear a serviceman has lost his life this way.

 

[Ryan]

All over the news here.

It's an area to the west of the landfill, not right next to it. It's very wooded.

Too many unknowns at this point for me to make many comments other than there are no shortage of black and brown bears on Joint Base Elmendor-Richardson (JBER). I've seen them both within easy walking distance of dorms and family housing on the Elmendorf AFB side when I worked on base.

 

[Ryan]

More information. They spooked a brown bear from her den.

Soldier Is Killed by Brown Bear on Alaska Military Base (Published 2022)

A group of soldiers planning an exercise wandered across a bear den on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage when a sow attacked, state wildlife troopers said.

www.nytimes.com

 

[leslie hetrick]

they are teddy bears, untill their not. i don,t trust any of them and carry more than a stick when i,m in their areas.

 

[C.W. Richter]

You cannot trust Polar or Browns. Their main mission is to EAT a LOT. Picked up several cans of bear spray for my son today, but I'm not 100% confident in it...for when the 454 isn't handy.

 

[freefall]

Heck! I hadn't heard abut this. Local news is a little hard for me to come by these days.
If he was on duty on the base I'm sure the soldier was not allowed to have live ammo.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Heck! I hadn't heard abut this. Local news is a little hard for me to come by these days.
If he was on duty on the base I'm sure the soldier was not allowed to have live ammo.

They should perhaps modify that policy (like even the CN gov't. did with respect to traveling from the continental US through CN to AK with firearms, even pistols-with the proper permits.)

 

[willbaforce]

This is sad news for the army.

 

[Tanner Lee]

This happen right after I got back from anchorage. I went for a hike by eagle river which is just a few minutes from the base.

They had seen some bears over the last few days before I got there. What they had seen was brown bears.

This is a real tragedy and very sad to hear.

 

[leslie hetrick]

people think black bears are cute, well one was shot last season in pa. that went over 700 lbs. thats more tham most lions-tigers weigh.

 

[Randy Bo]

Prayers for the family…