MANATEE COUNTY (WFLA) – Congressman Vern Buchanan has been working closely with the family of a fallen Bradenton soldier pushing for military reform.
On Tuesday, was a monumental step forward in their fight for change — the U.S. House passed Congressman Buchanan’s amendment to the National Defense Bill with broad bipartisan support.
Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto was only 20-years-old when he lost his life during an overseas training exercise in November 2019.
A 131-page investigation report details the hours leading up to and following the accident including sworn testimony from those around the young man. The report revealed faulty equipment, insufficient training, and a lack of medical services surrounding his death.
Spc. Panipinto’s parents feel if different protocol were in place, their son might still be alive.
“It took 80 minutes for the MedEvac to arrive and two hours for him to be received at a hospital. He received nine pints of blood upon arrival at the hospital and give pints of plasma which is pretty much everything you have in your body,” said his mother, Kimberly Weaver.
Weaver says she knew it was going to be a challenge to take on the military.
“People were telling me in the beginning, you can’t fight the military, nothing is ever going to change, what are you doing this for, it is not going to change the outcome, nothing is going to bring him back, but it was never about that, it was about just making sure that this never happens to anyone else,” said Weaver
Congressman Buchanan’s amendment requires the Department of Defense to examine emergency response capabilities and services currently available at every U.S. military base around the world and to report to Congress on the potential benefits and feasibility of requiring bases to have properly functioning MedEvac helicopters and fully-stocked military ambulances
Congressman Buchanan credits Spc. Panipinto’s mother for stepping up to make a difference.
“When we had a chance to meet with her, we really started digging into what she was saying and she was absolutely right. It’s hard to believe that you’ve got more non-combat deaths than people dying in combat, that has got to change,” said the congressman. “I take my hat off to her and this is for her son and we can make a big difference going forward. That is really our goal,” he continued.
For Spc. Panipinto’s father, the chance for change means all the world to him.
“Just the fact that he can save some lives down the road in a totally different way than we ever thought, it makes me very very happy. I never thought he would make a difference like this, but hopefully people will listen and we can get some things changed and move forward and not lose any more of our soldiers like this,” said Anthony Panipinto.
The bill is expected to pass the Senate in the next few days and will require President Trump’s signature to sign it into law. Congressman Buchanan’s office says this bill is considered ‘must-pass legislation’.
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