Fowler Associates Labs

Wednesday, August 17, 2005:

FORT BENNING, Georgia (AP) -- A lightning strike amid a drenching rainstorm Tuesday sent 19 Fort Benning soldiers to the hospital.

Most of the soldiers were treated at Martin Army Community Hospital and released, although four remained hospitalized overnight for observation.

The soldiers, who are in basic training, were on their last day of a field exercise and preparing to head back to their barracks because of the weather.

The soldiers were injured even after they spread out as a precaution against lightning, Fort Benning spokeswoman Monica Manganaro said.

The trainers "had them ground their equipment so they weren't holding weapons," she said. "They did all the right things."

The storm brought between 2 and 3 inches of rain to the area.