Army to Test Warrior Adventure Quest

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Army to Test Warrior Adventure Quest
September 10, 2008
Army News Service|by William Bradner

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Earlier this year, a Fort Rucker, Ala., Soldier died when he lost control of his new sport motorcycle in a curve, hit the culvert, was ejected off the bike, and slammed into a light pole. He was wearing a helmet, but had not attended the motorcycle safety course, and did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his license.

Ten minutes prior to his accident, he had been pulled over by a local police officer for traveling 84 mph in a 55 mph zone.

While no one can definitively say why the Soldier refused to slow down even after being warned by law enforcement, Army officials believe this accident and hundreds of similar accidents have a common link: Soldiers returning to garrison life after extended combat deployments are having difficulty adjusting, and are seeking the adrenaline rush they've grown accustomed to in combat environments.

As of October 2007, 186 Soldiers had died in accidents within one year of returning from combat, 168 of them within the first six months after they returned. Sixty percent of the accident fatalities are sergeants or below. The overwhelming majority of the accidents involve high speed, alcohol or both.

This weekend, the Army is testing a new program designed to help these Soldiers adjust from the high-paced, high-adrenaline combat environment to garrison or "home" life.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/army-news/army-to-test-warrior-adventure-quest.html