Army probes 5 soldiers on poison allegations at SC post; no credible support for report found

Army probes 5 soldiers on poison allegations

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Army has been investigating five soldiers at its largest training base since December over allegations that soldiers’ food may have been poisoned, but officials said Friday no one was ever in any danger.

While an army spokesman at the Pentagon said the probe involved allegations of poisoning in the installation’s food service, a spokesman for Fort Jackson in South Carolina would say only that the investigation involves five soldiers and their “potential verbal threats against fellow soldiers.”

“While the investigation continues, there is currently no credible evidence to substantiate the allegations … At no time was there any danger to the Fort Jackson community,” spokeswoman Julia Simpkins said.

Fort Jackson is the Army’s largest training installation, where more than 50,000 men and women go through about 10 weeks of basic training.

Its food service includes 13 dining halls that serve about 40,000 hot meals daily.

On Thursday, the Army confirmed that the investigation began in December and was ongoing.

Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver said the allegations involved soldiers’ food being poisoned. He said no credible information to support those allegations has been found.

Garver, based at the Pentagon, said he could not release any specifics of the investigation by the Army’s Criminal Investigative Service and that he was not aware that any arrests had been made.

Besides training most entry-level soldiers, Fort Jackson is host to a myriad of schools, such as the military’s center for all the Air Force, Navy and Army chaplains and its school for drill sergeants.