Two soldiers stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf were injured by a bear during a training exercise Thursday on base, officials say.
In a statement, Leslie Chatterton with the 673d Air Base Wing said the two U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division soldiers were injured during a “land navigation training event” at the base. A task force from the base responded to the incident and provided medical care.
Reached by phone, a spokeswoman with the 673d declined to comment further on the incident, including the status of the soldiers and where the attack took place. Citing an official with the 11th Airborne Division, the Anchorage Daily News reports that the incident happened at the base's Arctic Valley training area and both soldiers used bear spray during the encounter.
Officials say they are working with JBER staff and local wildlife officials to investigate the incident.
