Accident at West Point

This has been a tragic week in regard to accidents, a Nevada National Guard Tank rolling over leaving one soldier dead along with the accident at WP. My heart goes out to all the families. We can do better when it comes to training guidelines.
 
Condolences and Prayers to the Cadets and Soldiers involved and the entire West Point family. Tragic!!! But it goes to show just how dangerous the military is and the risks those brave enough to volunteer to serve take daily!
 
Got a text from an unknown number last evening. Was my son saying he is safe. Was a huge relief, as he is in the same training as the cadet who died, and likely knows him/her fairly well. We had deducted that my son was in the field yesterday morning, and likely not amongst those involved, based on some insight shared from one of his roommates, who is on a leadership detail at WP right now, and had a bit of contact with other cadets in the field. Also, my son completed the land navigation component of this training last week, and the accident happened in route to LN.

While it is a relief to know my son is safe, my wife and I both concluded immediately after getting the text that there is no opportunity to rejoice. Another family is being tortured by a lost too awful to contemplate.

When I received the news of a fatal accident during summer training at West Point, my heart absolutely sunk thinking about the possibility that it could involve my son. I received a text with confirmation that he was safe, but that other family got the opposite news, and it is painful to even think about that. Moreover, something like this puts perspective on life in general, but also reminds all of us that when our sons and daughters are commissioned, and then at some point deployed, nothing can be taken for granted. These waiting gamesqt occur when you are waiting to find out if your child is safe are tough.

Prayers carry the day.
 
That was our very thought- some parents’ life, perhaps our own, was irrevocably darkened. Our son must be in the very same phase as yours- we knew he was in the vicinity of the accident and without his phone. We had an awful 12 hours before we got word that he had already completed Land Nav and thus unlikely to be on that transport. That buoyed us until an all-ok text came through, when we immediately whipsawed from relief to empathy. Yesterday was tough- I’m still rattled today. My son’s vocation has expanded our family, but in doing so has opened up my heart to feel the loss of others in it to an entirely new and personal “there-but-for-the-grace-of-God” degree. We are indelibly an Army family now.

Got a text from an unknown number last evening. Was my son saying he is safe. Was a huge relief, as he is in the same training as the cadet who died, and likely knows him/her fairly well. We had deducted that my son was in the field yesterday morning, and likely not amongst those involved, based on some insight shared from one of his roommates, who is on a leadership detail at WP right now, and had a bit of contact with other cadets in the field. Also, my son completed the land navigation component of this training last week, and the accident happened in route to LN.

While it is a relief to know my son is safe, my wife and I both concluded immediately after getting the text that there is no opportunity to rejoice. Another family is being tortured by a lost too awful to contemplate.

When I received the news of a fatal accident during summer training at West Point, my heart absolutely sunk thinking about the possibility that it could involve my son. I received a text with confirmation that he was safe, but that other family got the opposite news, and it is painful to even think about that. Moreover, something like this puts perspective on life in general, but also reminds all of us that when our sons and daughters are commissioned, and then at some point deployed, nothing can be taken for granted. These waiting gamesqt occur when you are waiting to find out if your child is safe are tough.

Prayers carry the day.
 
Got a text from an unknown number last evening. Was my son saying he is safe. Was a huge relief, as he is in the same training as the cadet who died, and likely knows him/her fairly well. We had deducted that my son was in the field yesterday morning, and likely not amongst those involved, based on some insight shared from one of his roommates, who is on a leadership detail at WP right now, and had a bit of contact with other cadets in the field. Also, my son completed the land navigation component of this training last week, and the accident happened in route to LN.

While it is a relief to know my son is safe, my wife and I both concluded immediately after getting the text that there is no opportunity to rejoice. Another family is being tortured by a lost too awful to contemplate.

When I received the news of a fatal accident during summer training at West Point, my heart absolutely sunk thinking about the possibility that it could involve my son. I received a text with confirmation that he was safe, but that other family got the opposite news, and it is painful to even think about that. Moreover, something like this puts perspective on life in general, but also reminds all of us that when our sons and daughters are commissioned, and then at some point deployed, nothing can be taken for granted. These waiting gamesqt occur when you are waiting to find out if your child is safe are tough.

Prayers carry the day.
Received the same type text from our son last night who is in the field as well. Relieved yes, but still thinking about the family getting the call. Then came the announcement and the photo of the cadet. Our prayers are with the family.
 
Received the same type text from our son last night who is in the field as well. Relieved yes, but still thinking about the family getting the call. Then came the announcement and the photo of the cadet. Our prayers are with the family.

With any luck, the Army would have done it the usual way - not a call - sending an officer or senior enlisted assigned as the Casualty Assistance Officer, along with a chaplain, to do the formal notification of the PNOK. These days, it’s a race with social media. It’s sad to contemplate how in some cases, some “helpful” person who gets early wind of the deceased’s name, shares it on social media, and the NOK hears about it by reading “So sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers” post.

I am confident the minute USMA chain of command got confirmed word, they scrambled to coordinate the CACO (insert Army term) team. It’s something with which the military has vast and deep experience, and it’s taken very seriously. The cadet’s name would not be released until the PNOK was informed.

Many of the regular posters on here will have had experience being a CACO (or the Army term) or coordinating the required sequence of events for casualties such as this. I remember each and every one of mine. It becomes the primary duty if you’re assigned. The parents will be supported every step of the way.
 
I had the unpleasant task/duty of being the SCO for a married Sgt that worked for me.
Always difficult on all the family and unit members.
 
So sad. My heart aches for the family.

I read in an article about Cadet Morgan that his sibling is in the incoming class at USMA.

RIP Cadet Morgan.
 
With any luck, the Army would have done it the usual way - not a call - sending an officer or senior enlisted assigned as the Casualty Assistance Officer, along with a chaplain, to do the formal notification of the PNOK. These days, it’s a race with social media. It’s sad to contemplate how in some cases, some “helpful” person who gets early wind of the deceased’s name, shares it on social media, and the NOK hears about it by reading “So sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers” post.

I am confident the minute USMA chain of command got confirmed word, they scrambled to coordinate the CACO (insert Army term) team. It’s something with which the military has vast and deep experience, and it’s taken very seriously. The cadet’s name would not be released until the PNOK was informed.

Many of the regular posters on here will have had experience being a CACO (or the Army term) or coordinating the required sequence of events for casualties such as this. I remember each and every one of mine. It becomes the primary duty if you’re assigned. The parents will be supported every step of the way.

Something that struck me, was how quiet the media actually was about this. I was was thinking that either they were being respectful, or USMA was successful in keeping things quiet until proper notifications are made. Or both. But in this day and age, info is leaked and DOES get out. This was properly and reverently hush-hush (as it should be). Generally the media reports “unconfirmed” information. Nothing was reported. I found that both beautiful, hopeful and amazing. The respect for the institution, family and friends.
 
With any luck, the Army would have done it the usual way - not a call - sending an officer or senior enlisted assigned as the Casualty Assistance Officer, along with a chaplain, to do the formal notification of the PNOK. These days, it’s a race with social media. It’s sad to contemplate how in some cases, some “helpful” person who gets early wind of the deceased’s name, shares it on social media, and the NOK hears about it by reading “So sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers” post.

I am confident the minute USMA chain of command got confirmed word, they scrambled to coordinate the CACO (insert Army term) team. It’s something with which the military has vast and deep experience, and it’s taken very seriously. The cadet’s name would not be released until the PNOK was informed.

Many of the regular posters on here will have had experience being a CACO (or the Army term) or coordinating the required sequence of events for casualties such as this. I remember each and every one of mine. It becomes the primary duty if you’re assigned. The parents will be supported every step of the way.

Something that struck me, was how quiet the media actually was about this. I was was thinking that either they were being respectful, or USMA was successful in keeping things quiet until proper notifications are made. Or both. But in this day and age, info is leaked and DOES get out. This was properly and reverently hush-hush (as it should be). Generally the media reports “unconfirmed” information. Nothing was reported. I found that both beautiful, hopeful and amazing. The respect for the institution, family and friends.
Both the scene, and the Hospital are in restricted areas which undoubtedly helped the situation.
 
The West Point Parent Club of NJ is where the Morgan family are members. So we are the collection point for any letters or cards that anyone would like to send to the family.

If you message me, I will provide the mailing address.

Note, I am the club vp.
 
Sometimes this really hits close to home, I knew the Marine Officer who was killed in the accident at Pendleton, '17 grad of The Citadel and I am good friends with his father. Unbelievably tragic to see young lives cut short but reminds us of how dangerous a world the military is.
 
With any luck, the Army would have done it the usual way - not a call - sending an officer or senior enlisted assigned as the Casualty Assistance Officer, along with a chaplain, to do the formal notification of the PNOK. These days, it’s a race with social media. It’s sad to contemplate how in some cases, some “helpful” person who gets early wind of the deceased’s name, shares it on social media, and the NOK hears about it by reading “So sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers” post.

I am confident the minute USMA chain of command got confirmed word, they scrambled to coordinate the CACO (insert Army term) team. It’s something with which the military has vast and deep experience, and it’s taken very seriously. The cadet’s name would not be released until the PNOK was informed.

Many of the regular posters on here will have had experience being a CACO (or the Army term) or coordinating the required sequence of events for casualties such as this. I remember each and every one of mine. It becomes the primary duty if you’re assigned. The parents will be supported every step of the way.
The lock down can be a dual edged sword. The kids soon figured out during deployments that a missed Skype meant that something bad happened on the base and a long 24 hours followed. We lived in a neighborhood with gold star families so it wasn’t unfamiliar.
One time when internet was cut, the next day my DD was in her high school library and saw some NCOs in the hallway in their dress blues. She assumed they were there to find her and panicked. They were recruiters.
 
The West Point Parent Club of NJ is where the Morgan family are members. So we are the collection point for any letters or cards that anyone would like to send to the family.

If you message me, I will provide the mailing address.

Note, I am the club vp.

I made donation last week on gofundme.com setup for Christopher Morgan. The fund is now over $69,000. I’m sure it will surpass the goal $75,000. God bless the Morgan family!
 
I have many family members who are current and prior police officers. They have all said that the worst ever in their career was to knock on that door or ring that door bell.
 
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