(May 1, 2007)—A crew from S3, the contractor that provides medical evacuation services to Fort Hood, pulled nine stranded soldiers to safety Tuesday after two Bradley Fighting Vehicles stalled in a rain-swollen creek.

The soldiers were attempting a low water crossing on Cow House Creek Tuesday when the two armored vehicles stalled in the high water, S3 said.

The soldiers climbed on top of the vehicles, but the water was continuing to rise as heavy rain fell on the area.

A passing game warden spotted the stranded soldiers, S3 said, and radioed for help.

Fort Hood called the S3 crew, which flew to the creek, pulled five soldiers to safety and then returned to rescue the other four in an effort that S3 says took about 35 minutes.

By the time the last of the soldiers was hoisted to safety, water had covered the top of the second Bradley.

No one was injured.

S3 has been under contract to provide round-the-clock service to Fort Hood for the past year, but the Army is discontinuing the service, and plans instead to use local helicopter evacuation services on a pay-for-service basis.

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